Most researchers agree that forests in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have been disappearing at increasing speed, with annual deforestation rates exceeding 1 million hectares (2.5 million acres) in the past five years and believed to have surged during the COVID-19 pandemic. Carbon finance can act to slow these rates by providing an alternative revenue stream that is both sustainable and profitable. 

The project aims to create a conservation park encompassing the entire 250,000-hectare parcel with the goal of preserving the natural forest cover. The project will earn carbon credits by avoiding planned deforestation activities in the area, using the VERRA VM0010 methodology.

Over the 25-year crediting period, the project is projected to avoid approximately 8.1 million tons of CO2 eq in emissions. This means that the project will contribute significantly to reducing carbon emissions in the atmosphere, as the avoided deforestation activities would have released a significant amount of carbon into the atmosphere.

The project's approach of generating carbon credits from avoided deforestation activities is an important strategy to combat climate change. It promotes the preservation of natural forests, which are crucial carbon sinks, while also providing an alternative revenue stream for local communities. By earning carbon credits, the project can contribute to sustainable development in the region while reducing carbon emissions.

The concession owner holds a valid 25-year permit to harvest 75,000m3 of wood per annum (as well as the associated infrastructure; roads etc) on a land parcel covering 250,000 hectares and has been approached by a number of logging companies to explore the harvest management plan on his behalf. However, the concession holder wishes to forego his right to harvest and implement conservation instead, and for this to be an economically viable option, carbon finance would be required.

The avoidance of such planned timber harvesting is very important since the concession is situated on the northeastern border of the Salonga National Park, a UNESCO world heritage site that is under pressure from illegal poaching and unplanned deforestation. If this concession was deforested and forestry-related infrastructure was installed, this would open up the area to secondary agents of deforestation who would have easier access to the national park, threatening its biodiversity and carbon stocks. In the project case, Salonga East can act as a buffer zone, indirectly maintaining the National Park as a carbon sink.