Motion 147

Development plans for the Lower Congo region, stretching from Kinshasa to the coast, should be approached with caution. Although this area represents just 2% of the Congo Basin, it is home to nearly 30% of the basin's fish species—approximately 446 species, around 30% of which are endemic. These species have evolved to thrive in the region's fast-moving, turbid rapids, which have driven high levels of speciation. The Lower Congo is recognized as the second most significant hotspot for threatened freshwater species in Central Africa. In terms of species diversity, endemism, and conservation threats, it represents a critical freshwater biodiversity hotspot. The Congo River is also one of the few remaining long rivers that remain largely free-flowing worldwide, making it an unsuitable candidate for hydropower development.

Additionally, the river's heavy sediment load gives rise to the Congo Plume—a plankton-rich water mass extending over 300,000 km² into the Atlantic Ocean. This plume functions as a globally significant carbon sink. However, disrupting the sediment flow that sustains it could lead to its collapse, with far-reaching ecological consequences.

In 2025, the World Bank approved financing for the Inga 3 dam in the DRC reversing an earlier decision to withdraw due to governance concerns. The approval is for an initial $250 million of a total $1 billion in finance for the first of multiple phases of the project which is projected to cost over $10 billion in total.

While the project’s stated goal is to reduce DRC’s severe energy deficit, where only about 20% of the population has access to electricity, the World Bank’s plan to develop Inga 3 as a public-private partnership model prioritises industrial interests and regional offtakers than domestic needs, at risk of straining DRC’s public finances due to debt and the likely cost overruns caused by delays. Studies have shown that Inga would be ill-suited to alleviate the persistent energy poverty in the DRC, where 80% lack access to electricity. Inga’s electricity would be intended for sale to industries, mines, and neighboring countries that would be prioritized over the Congolese public.

The World Bank’s assertion that Inga 3 will deliver climate benefits is not scientifically substantiated. Large dams are increasingly vulnerable to climate change and are prone to failure under extreme weather conditions. Inga 3 could also exacerbate climate change by releasing methane and CO₂ into the atmosphere from its vast reservoir dispelling claims of it being a green energy source. The Inga project therefore presents significant environmental, social, and governance risks, while viable, cost-effective alternatives such as solar and wind energy remain underfunded.

Meanwhile, the World Bank’s return to funding major hydropower projects at a level not seen in years poses real concerns for ecosystems and communities around the world.