Analysis

To those who think of misinformation only in terms of troll factories operating from the caverns of dark regimes ­– think again. Disinformation is just as much linked to the legitimate business world in Western countries, working in all subtlety and better organised than ever ­– and there are millions to be made from it. 

The tropical forests in the Congo basin filter more CO2 from the air than the notably larger Amazon forest. This sounds positive, but these forests are rapidly disappearing. Several countries invest in conservation projects which, if they want to succeed, should also aid the fast-growing population.

Congo’s official documents exist in a virtual reality. It takes a lot of time and money to obtain them. The failing administration widens the gap between the haves and the have-nots.

Many of the pastoralist communities live in Africa, and their way of life is falling victim to the climate crisis. “We get much less milk from our cows than we used to. And that has everything to do with the unreliability of the rain.”

The EU is heavily dependent on imports of fossil fuels. The European Commission wants to get rid of these, but does not want to depend on other countries or continents for new raw materials. The solution is to mine as many raw materials as possible ourselves.