IIASA Public Lecture: Kivu-Kinshasa Green Corridor

Virunga National Park, located in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), stands as a testament to the harmonious integration of environmental conservation and socioeconomic development. Home to unparalleled biodiversity, including approximately one-third of the world's endangered mountain gorillas, Virunga faces the challenge of safeguarding its rich ecosystems while addressing the needs of the 11 million people residing in extreme poverty around its periphery.

In response, the park has pioneered innovative strategies to balance conservation efforts with community empowerment:

• Renewable Energy Initiatives: By constructing hydroelectric plants managed by local technicians, Virunga has generated 60 megawatts of clean energy, supplying 80% of Goma's electricity. This endeavor has created over 21,000 jobs, with 11% filled by former militia members seeking sustainable livelihoods.
• Agricultural Transformation: Access to renewable energy has spurred the development of agro-industries, enhancing the incomes of more than 30,000 farming families through improved processing capabilities.
• Community Support Programs: The establishment of a chocolate factory employs widows and children of fallen park rangers, producing 50 tons of chocolate monthly. This initiative not only provides economic stability but also supports local cacao farmers by offering a secure market for their produce.

Building upon these successes, the DRC government has launched the Kivu-Kinshasa Green Corridor, aiming to create the world's largest protected tropical forest reserve. Encompassing 540,000 km², this initiative seeks to generate 500,000 new jobs and transport a million tons of food annually to Kinshasa, Africa's largest city.

Virunga National Park exemplifies how creative conservation approaches can foster environmental preservation, economic growth, and peace-building in regions grappling with conflict and poverty.

Speaker:
Emmanuel de Merode
Director, Virunga National Park, Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature (ICCN)

Emmanuel de Merode is the Director of Virunga National Park in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. He has spent the past 20 years working to sustain the national park through the DRC's civil war and to address issues of illegal resource extraction as the underlying causes of armed conflict. Given the chronic insecurity and the succession of violent wars in eastern Congo, de Merode has focused his efforts on economic development initiatives that bring greater stability to the region. In 2013 he assisted in the launching of the Virunga Alliance, a large scale economic development initiative based on the sustainable use of the region's natural resources to drive the post-war economy of eastern Congo as an instrument for peace-building in the region.

Despite these remarkable achievements, the people working to protect Virunga do so under dire circumstances, facing constant political instability and military threats. Park rangers risk their lives daily to safeguard both wildlife and local communities, often confronting armed militias, poachers, and extractive industries seeking to exploit the park's resources. More insights into their struggles and sacrifices can be found in the Oscar-nominated documentary on Netflix Virunga.