Prépublications

The Cuvette Centrale peatlands of the Democratic Republic of Congo constitute the world's largest tropical peatland complex, storing an estimated 29 billion tonnes of carbon. Yet these globally significant ecosystems remain among the least studied and most vulnerable to environmental change. This study examines the integration of hydrological and ecological indicators for assessing peatland vulnerability in tropical watersheds, synthesizing remote sensing, biogeochemical, and hydrological modelling approaches applicable to the DRC's peatlands. The analysis reveals that inundation dynamics constitute the primary control on greenhouse gas emissions from peatlands, with daily water level mapping at 100 m spatial resolution now achievable using ALOS-2 PALSAR-2 radar data calibrated against field measurements. Remote sensing indicators, particularly the Normalized Burn Ratio (NBR), demonstrate significant correlation with peat carbon stocks (Spearman's rho = -0.664, p < 0.05) and hydrogen index values (rho = 0.7, p < 0.05), enabling detection of degradation in upper peat profiles. Biogeochemical indicators derived from Rock-Eval pyrolysis, including the immature organic matter index (I-index) and refractory organic matter index (R-index), provide complementary evidence of enhanced decomposition in disturbed sites. The study identifies four categories of vulnerability indicators applicable to DRC's watersheds: hydrological indicators (water table depth, inundation extent, baseflow), biogeochemical indicators (carbon density, decomposition indices, nutrient status), remote sensing indicators (NBR, radar backscatter, vegetation indices), and anthropogenic indicators (deforestation rate, protected area status, concession overlap). Integration of these multi-scalar indicators offers a comprehensive framework for monitoring peatland vulnerability and guiding conservation strategies.

Climate change poses significant threats to rural communities in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where livelihoods depend heavily on climate-sensitive natural resources. The Ngombe Mombangi sector in Mongala Province exemplifies the challenges faced by forest-dependent communities in the Congo Basin, with increasing temperatures, changing rainfall patterns, and growing climate variability affecting agricultural productivity, food security, and overall well-being. This article presents a comprehensive project proposal for strengthening climate change adaptation and mitigation in the Ngombe Mombangi sector, based on empirical findings from two companion studies (Articles 58 and 59) that documented significant warming trends (0.17°C per decade), high precipitation variability, and diverse community adaptation mechanisms. The proposal, titled "Strengthening Community Resilience to Climate Change in Ngombe Mombangi Sector" (SCALE-NGOMBE), addresses the multi-level challenges identified through climate analysis and community assessment. The project has four strategic objectives: (1) Strengthen community adaptive capacity through improved climate information, sustainable agricultural practices, and livelihood diversification; (2) Enhance forest conservation and sustainable management to maintain ecosystem services and support REDD+ initiatives; (3) Strengthen institutional capacity and governance for climate adaptation at local and sectoral levels; and (4) Promote sustainable resource management and environmental protection. The project will be implemented over 36 months through six phases: inception and planning; climate information and early warning; sustainable agriculture and livelihood diversification; forest conservation and sustainable management; institutional strengthening and governance; and monitoring, evaluation, and learning. The estimated budget is $1,500,000, with funding from multiple sources including the Government of DRC, international development partners, multilateral climate funds, and private…

This study falls within SDG Focus Goal 2: Zero Hunger — Target 2.3: By 2030, double the agricultural productivity and incomes of small-scale food producers, in particular women, indigenous peoples, family farmers, pastoralists and fishers; Target 2.4: Ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices that increase productivity and production, that help maintain ecosystems; Target 2.5: Maintain the genetic diversity of seeds, cultivated plants and farmed and domesticated animals and their related wild species. This study examines the comparative approaches to rural development programs and their integration with indigenous farming knowledge in Burkina Faso and Nepal, focusing on how each country's development initiatives engage with traditional agricultural practices, community-based knowledge systems, and culturally appropriate technologies. The research analyzes the mechanisms for preserving and revitalizing indigenous knowledge, the role of participatory approaches in development interventions, and the challenges of maintaining traditional practices in contexts of environmental change and modernization. A comparative analysis was conducted examining primary and secondary sources including peer-reviewed research, institutional project documentation, and community-based case studies covering recent developments to 2025-2026. Burkina Faso presents a dynamic landscape where multiple initiatives are actively working to retrieve, validate, and integrate indigenous farming knowledge into contemporary agricultural development. The SUSTLIVES project, funded by the European Union and implemented by the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, focuses on neglected and underutilized species (NUS)—crops such as fabirama, moringa, roselle, amaranth, and bambara groundnut that were long dismissed as "poor people's crops" but are now being recognized for their nutritional value,…

This study falls within SDG Focus Goal 13: Climate Action — Target 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning; Target 13.3: Improve education, awareness-raising and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction and early warning; Target 13.A: Implement the commitment undertaken by developed-country parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to a goal of mobilizing jointly $100 billion annually by 2020 from all sources to address the needs of developing countries. This study examines reforestation policies and sacred groves in Brazil and Indonesia, two countries with the world's largest tropical forests that have experienced high rates of deforestation but have also implemented significant reforestation programs and have rich traditions of sacred natural sites. The research analyzes how each country's reforestation policies address climate change mitigation, biodiversity conservation, and community livelihoods, the role of sacred groves and traditional forest management in forest conservation, the integration (or lack thereof) of traditional knowledge with state-led reforestation, and the lessons for other countries seeking to reduce deforestation and restore degraded lands. A comparative analysis was conducted examining primary and secondary sources including government reports, satellite data (PRODES, INPE), academic research, ethnographic studies, and policy documentation covering recent decades to 2025. Brazil presents a context where reforestation policies have evolved significantly, with the Amazon rainforest as a global climate priority. Key features include the Legal Amazon deforestation monitoring (PRODES) providing annual deforestation rates since 1988, enabling evidence-based policy. The Action Plan for the Prevention…

This study examines the comparative dynamics of indigenous environmental governance and its contribution to climate resilience in Côte d'Ivoire and Peru, two countries with rich indigenous heritage yet facing distinct challenges in integrating traditional knowledge into climate policy. Despite their divergent colonial histories and ecological contexts, both nations grapple with the fundamental question of how indigenous governance systems can be recognized, strengthened, and mobilized to address the climate crisis. The research employs a comparative case study methodology, drawing on policy documents, empirical studies, project reports, and scholarly analyses spanning 2020-2026. Peru has emerged as a global laboratory for indigenous-state co-management models in climate adaptation and forest conservation. The Amarakaeri Communal Reserve (RCA) exemplifies successful co-management between the Peruvian State (SERNANP) and indigenous organizations (ECA-RCA), built on trust and shared responsibility. This model enables the implementation of "Full Life Plans" that articulate indigenous strategic planning with conservation objectives, channel climate funds, and contribute to national emission reduction commitments . The REDD+ Indigenous Amazonian (RIA) initiative demonstrates how indigenous administration contracts can be adapted to implement projects for ecosystem service retribution, with replication potential across 4.5 million hectares of communal reserves . However, challenges persist. Research on Peru's conditional direct transfer (TDC) mechanism reveals gaps between program design and indigenous realities, including lack of cultural awareness, reliance on capitalistic economic indicators that exclude indigenous well-being, and insufficient community engagement in monitoring . The Kichwa people's experience in San Martín illustrates how protected area creation has sometimes excluded indigenous communities from territorial management,…