Journal article
Satellite data enable estimation of harvest volumes and carbon emissions from Congo Basin logging
Communications Sustainability, Vol.1, pp.1-14
2026
Abstract
Selective logging is widespread in tropical forests, yet its extent, intensities, and impacts are poorly understood. Here we developed estimates of annual timber harvest volumes, carbon emissions, and potential emissions reductions for 2020–2024 for industrial logging concessions in six Congo Basin countries. Using 62 harvest observations, we calibrated a model linking logging road development and forest disturbance detection data to harvest volumes, generating predictions at multiple spatial scales. Regional harvests averaged 14.7 M cubic meters per year and produced emissions of 87.5 teragrams carbon dioxide per year. Reduced-impact logging practices could cut emissions by 35–58%, generating $309–489 M per year in climate financing. Our harvest estimates differ from national statistics (125% higher for Gabon, 81% lower for Democratic Republic of the Congo) and our road development emissions estimates differ from previous sample-based accounting (73% lower for region). These timely, spatially-explicit data support sustainability assessment, regulatory compliance, certification efforts, and climate mitigation strategies, and our methods are broadly applicable to tropical forests with selective logging.
Details
- Title
- Satellite data enable estimation of harvest volumes and carbon emissions from Congo Basin logging
- Authors
- Kurt A. Fesenmyer (Corresponding Author) - The Nature ConservancyBart Slagter - Wageningen University & ResearchJohannes Reiche - Wageningen University & ResearchAnne-Juul Welsink - Wageningen University & ResearchPeter W. Ellis - The Nature ConservancyFrancis E. Putz - University of the Sunshine CoastFritz Kleinschroth - Leibniz University HannoverMatthew G. Hethcoat - Canadian Forest ServiceSytze de Bruin - Wageningen University & ResearchNaikoa Aguilar-AmuchasteguiMartin Herold - GFZ Helmholtz Centre for GeosciencesDonald Jomha - Project OFAC-CE (Central African Forests Observatory - Center of Excellence) (Cameroon)Florence Palla - Project OFAC-CE (Central African Forests Observatory - Center of Excellence) (Cameroon)Marielos Peña-Claros - Wageningen University & ResearchEthan P. Belair - The Nature Conservancy
- Publication details
- Communications Sustainability, Vol.1, pp.1-14
- Publisher
- Nature Publishing Group
- Date published
- 2026
- DOI
- 10.1038/s44458-026-00105-y
- ISSN
- 3059-4308
- Copyright note
- This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article’s Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.
- Data Availability
- Tabular data of timber harvest volume observations and associated spatial covariate summaries for concessions or FMUs, along with country-, concession-, and grid-scale predictions of timber harvest volume 2020–2024 are available at https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.30407518.
- Grant note
- This research was funded by the Bezos Earth Fund, The Nature Conservancy’s Finish Line Fund, Wageningen University’s graduate school PE&RC, and UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office’s Forest Governance, Markets and Climate programme.
- Organisation Unit
- Tropical Forests and People Research Centre
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 991246799202621
- Output Type
- Journal article
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