By Badylon Kawanda Bakiman
More than 100 environmental experts in Kikwit, Kwilu Province in the southwestern Democratic Republic of Congo, have completed intensive training in forest carbon inventory techniques aimed at strengthening climate action and promoting sustainable forest management.
Held from May 4–9, 2026, at the University of Kikwit (UNIKIK), the weeklong capacity-building workshop brought together students of environmental science, forestry, and natural resource management, alongside environmental professionals, NGOs, public institutions, private-sector actors, and conservation stakeholders committed to addressing climate change.
The initiative was organized by the Group d’Expertise Environnement et Climat (GEEC SARL) in partnership with the University of Kikwit. Participants engaged in both classroom instruction and practical field exercises conducted in designated forest areas around Kikwit.
The training focused on methodologies for quantifying carbon stocks in forest concessions and introduced participants to critical concepts including biomass assessment, greenhouse gases, carbon sinks, forest inventories, carbon credits, sustainable development, and the role forests play in regulating the global climate.
“These concepts are currently at the center of international debate, particularly concerning the management of forest resources and the evaluation of their role in mitigating climate change,” said Professor Akweni Arindo, Director of GEEC SARL and lead facilitator of the workshop. “We are pleased to have awarded certificates to more than 120 experts who are now capable of conducting forest carbon inventories and biomass calculations.”
Professor Jules Kitadi, Dean of the Faculty of Sciences at UNIKIK, underscored the urgency of the training amid growing global concern over climate change and environmental degradation.
“We are here because of global warming. This is a global issue,” he said. “Human activities are destroying forests, and with fewer trees, carbon dioxide remains trapped in the atmosphere instead of being absorbed through photosynthesis. We must take corrective action, and that is why this training is of paramount importance.”
The program also attracted international participation, with attendees from several countries joining virtually through Zoom, underscoring the global relevance of forest carbon monitoring and climate resilience.
The workshop took place against the backdrop of mounting climate disruptions affecting communities worldwide. According to the program’s terms of reference, the Congo Basin Forest — the world’s second-largest tropical rainforest after the Amazon — spans more than 200 million hectares, nearly 60 percent of which lies within the DRC. The forest serves as one of the planet’s most critical carbon sinks while supporting the livelihoods of millions of people across Central Africa.
UNIKIK President, Full Professor Alphonse Kapumba, praised the initiative and expressed confidence that the training would have a lasting impact on environmental management efforts in the region.
At the conclusion of the workshop, all participants received certificates recognizing their successful completion of the program.
