Who gains from saving nature
Ledger 1 : 33 — For each dollar financing nature-based solutions in 2023, about $33 financed activities harmful to nature. (UNEP)
Cases / Oil, gas and coal operations · Democratic Republic of the Congo · date not stated

M23 controls area around Virunga as forest loss doubles in southern sector

Short record: the main facts, with sources. A full case file has not been prepared.

Nature's voice · report
No measurement of the harm done to me here is on record.
Did nature suffer? Not measured.
What the record lacks: 2 none on record · 1 not measured See the gaps

Mongabay reported in March 2025 that the M23 armed group controls the area around Virunga, where forest loss in the southern sector has doubled. Armed groups there tax charcoal, the report said.

What?
M23 control of the Virunga area, doubled forest loss in the southern sector, and charcoal taxation Mongabay
Where?
Area around Virunga, eastern DRC Mongabay
When?
Mongabay analysis dated March 2025; the period of the forest loss is not stated Mongabay
Who?
Gained
  • Armed groups — Tax charcoal, per Mongabay Mongabay
Lost
None on record
Harmed
  • Forests in the southern sector — Forest loss doubled, per Mongabay Mongabay
Why?
Not stated in the sources reviewed.
How?
Armed control of the area; armed groups tax charcoal, per Mongabay Mongabay
6 of 6 questions answered from the record

What happened

The record, in order.

Mongabay reported in March 2025 that M23 controls the area around Virunga.

The report said forest loss in the southern sector had doubled.

It also reported that armed groups tax charcoal.

    In court and with insurers

    Every proceeding and every insurer decision on record.

    Lawsuits and rulings

    No court case on record. No court has ruled on this case.

    Insurers

    No insurer decision on record.

    What we don't know

    Undisclosed, unproven, untried: recorded as data.

    Nature

    • Not measured Harm to nature: The record holds no measurement of harm to nature.

    Record

    • None on record The sources reviewed do not give the area of forest lost or the amount of charcoal taxed.
    • None on record The sources reviewed do not say how long M23 has controlled the area or how much tax revenue is raised.

    Did the harm stop?

    Not stated in the sources reviewed.

    Who paid?

    Not stated in the sources reviewed.

    Sources

    Voices on record: — Company or project— Government and regulators— Courts✓ Press and investigations— Communities and civil society— Researchers

    Press and investigations

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