The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is arguably one of the most important countries in the world for its potential contribution toward fighting climate change. Beneath its vast land mass lies the world’s largest deposits of cobalt. This is an essential component of the lithium-ion batteries that are supposed to power the green-energy revolution. Things like solar power and electric vehicles depend on a steady supply of cobalt. DRC is also home to the world's second largest rainforest.
However, corruption comes in between DRC's ability to achieve this global impact. Examining public financial records and corporate registries, Rainforests Investigations Fellow Linda Ngari and a journalist based in DRC Congo investigate the financial aspects of environmental crimes in DRC. They follow the money trail to identify the beneficiaries and financiers.
For this investigation, this project employs satellite imagery platforms to access imagery from sources like Google Earth, Sentinel Hub, or Planet Labs, and monitor deforestation and land use changes. We also look into government and NGO reports to search for publicly available documents, reports, and databases from organizations like Global Forest Watch, the World Resources Institute, and local environmental NGOs. And we monitor social media for accounts and groups related to environmental activism in DRC, Indigenous communities, and local news sources for updates and leads.
