‘The Congo more climate-resilient than Amazonia? Jury is still out’

A group of experts and researchers from various countries gathered in Yaoundé, the capital of Cameroon, to map out a strategy for a 10-year study on the ecology of tropical forests.

The study, which is expected to be funded by US space agency, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), aims to help researchers better understand tropical forests and how they respond to climate change.

The February 21-22, 2024 event was jointly organised by the Congo Basin Institute, the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) as well as the Center for International Forestry Research, with funding from NASA.

Elsa Ordway is Co-Director, Center for Tropical Research and Co-Director, Congo Basin Institute, University of California in Los Angeles (UCLA). She told Down To Earth (DTE) that the differences among tropical forests and how these respond to climate change must be well understood so that policymakers can make informed decisions about their conservation.