Professor Lee White Appointed as Special Envoy to the Science Panel for the Congo Basin
KINSHASA, Democratic Republic of the Congo, July 30, 2024 - The Science Panel for the Congo Basin (SPCB) is pleased to announce the appointment of Professor Lee White as its Special Envoy. Professor White brings four decades of unparalleled expertise in tropical rainforest ecology and conservation to the Panel.
"I am intensely proud to have been asked by the co-chairs of the SPCB, Professor Raphaël Tshimanga, Dr. Lydie-Stella Koutika, and Professor Bonaventure Sonké, along with the many committee members, to be their spokesperson,” remarked Professor White. “I am going to be springing up at international meetings to call for more focus, more attention, more partnerships, more support, and more finance for science and scientists in the Congo Basin. I will approach this mission with the fervor of someone who is convinced that the Earth as we know it will end if we lose the rainforests."
As Special Envoy, Professor White will work closely with the Panel to advise on strategy, outreach, and engagement; support outreach to relevant public sector and international organization initiatives; develop strategic partnerships; and represent the SPCB at scientific conferences and international conferences on biodiversity and climate change.
Professor White, an Honorary Professor at the University of Stirling, has conducted extensive research on tropical rainforest ecology and conservation across equatorial Africa for over 40 years. His experience spans both scientific research and high-level policy-making, making him an ideal candidate to advance the SPCB's goals of conservation and sustainable development in the Congo Basin region.
Professor White's impactful career includes serving as Gabon's Minister of Water, Forests, Sea, Environment, Climate Change, and Land-use planning from 2019 – 2023. During his tenure, he doubled Gabon's forest economy and oversaw the validation of 187 million tons of REDD+ results with the UNFCCC. His prior roles include leading Gabon's National Parks Agency and serving as a Senior Scientist in Gabon's UNFCCC climate change negotiating team.
Throughout his career, Professor White has been instrumental in creating 53 new protected areas and has worked across the African rainforest zone in multiple countries. He has authored 120 international peer-reviewed journal articles and seven books, solidifying his position as a leading voice in rainforest conservation and sustainable development.
"We are thrilled to welcome Professor White to the Science Panel for the Congo Basin," said Emma Torres, Coordinator of the SPCB. "His profound understanding of tropical forest ecology, conservation, and climate change, combined with his experience in policy-making, will be invaluable as we work towards sustainable and equitable development in the region."
About the Science Panel for the Congo Basin (SPCB)
The Science Panel for the Congo Basin (SPCB) is the first-of-its kind independent scientific panel dedicated to synthesizing existing knowledge of the status of and threats to the Congo Basin and its ecosystems. As the world’s second-largest tropical forest, the Congo Basin provides key services at local, regional, and global scales that are critical for limiting the impacts of climate change - and yet, it remains largely under-researched and chronically underinvested. The SPCB was established to mobilize scientists in the region to jointly address these challenges, inspired by the call of environment ministers and scientists across the region for renewed efforts, increased scientific investment, and involvement of science in policy-making for the sustainable development of Congo Basin countries.
Led by leading scientists from the region, the SPCB will undertake a comprehensive synthesis of the available scientific knowledge on the Congo Basin, including Indigenous peoples and autochthonous knowledge, to generate a high-quality independent assessment report to be presented at COP30. The assessment will be directed at policy-makers to help inform and accelerate local and regional solutions to strengthen nature conservation and advance sustainable development, while also highlighting acute and potential tipping points, as well as critical areas and gaps requiring further scientific research. The panel is inspired by the successful Science Panel for the Amazon, convened by the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN). For more information about the Science Panel for the Congo Basin, please visit www.SPCongoBasin.org.
Media Contact
Lila Potter
Program Associate, SDSN and SPCB
Lila.potter@unsdsn.org
917 841 7082