Front cover image for Congo's environmental paradox : potential and predation in a land of planty

Congo's environmental paradox : potential and predation in a land of planty

Theodore Trefon (Author)
The Democratic Republic of Congo has the natural resources the world needs - it is crucial to satisfying our craving for the latest high-tech gadgets; the Inga Dam could light up all of Africa; while Congo's farmers could feed a billion people. These realities are redefining the country's strategic contribution to a globalized world. A resource paradise for some, the DRC is an environmental nightmare for others. Congo's Environmental Paradox analyses the new dynamics in the country's forest, mineral, land, water and oil sectors, revealing the interactions between these sectors. Connecting the dots, it shows how we need to fundamentally rethink power, politics and resource management in Congo today
eBook, English, 2016
Zed Books in association with International African Institute, Royal African Society, World Peace Foundation, London, 2016
1 online resource (xiii, 194 pages) : map
9781783602452, 9781783602445, 9781783602469, 9781783602476, 9781783602476, 9781350219328, 1783602457, 1783602449, 1783602465, 1783602473, 1350219320
949275550
Print version :
Cover; About the Author; Title Page; Copyright; Contents; Boxes, Tables and Figures; Acknowledgements; Map of the Democratic Republic of the Congo; 1. Introduction: Potential in a Land of Plenty; The Paradox; Opportunities; An Integrated Perspective; 2. Forests of Wealth and Mystery; A Cross-Cutting Priority; Biodiversity and Conservation; Nuancing the Causes of Deforestation and Degradation; The Legal and Institutional Context; New Environmental Services; Conclusion: An Integrated Set of Challenges; 3. Food and Agriculture; Living Off the Land; Crops and Production; Farming; Food Imports. Agricultural PoliciesUrbanisation and Food; Mining and Agriculture; Land Grabbing; Marketing and Innovations; Agricultural Empowerment; Agriculture: A Total Social Fact; 4. Water: An Uncertain EBB and Flow; Africa's Richest Watershed; Hydroelectricity; Transportation; Drinking Water, Sanitation and Energy; Fishing and Fish Farming; Water Governance; Conclusion: Integrating Water Management Strategies; 5. Oil: Plenty for Some, Nothing for Most ; Introduction; Potential Untapped; The Institutional and Regulatory Framework; Regional Oil Politics; The Virunga Oil Saga; Conclusion. 6. Mining: Rise, Decline and RenaissanceIntroduction; Historical Overview; Artisanal Mining; Conflict Minerals; Regulation; An Emerging Renaissance; Conclusion: Future Prospects; 7. Conclusion: Uncertainty and Predation in a Land of Plenty; Notes; Bibliography; Index