What's happened
Recent reports highlight severe environmental impacts across Europe and Africa. Germany's forests face massive diebacks due to drought and pests, threatening carbon sequestration. Meanwhile, Kinshasa's last ancient baobab is under threat from urban development, symbolizing broader environmental degradation. These events underscore urgent climate resilience challenges.
What's behind the headline?
The stories from Germany and Kinshasa reveal a global pattern of environmental stress caused by climate change and urban expansion.
- Biodiversity and Resilience: Germany's shift to biodiverse planting aims to create more resilient forests, but the scale of dieback indicates that current strategies may be insufficient against escalating climate impacts.
- Carbon Sink Decline: The significant reduction in Europe's land-based carbon absorption underscores how climate-induced forest loss directly hampers global efforts to mitigate climate change.
- Cultural and Ecological Loss: In Kinshasa, the potential destruction of the last ancient baobab symbolizes not only environmental degradation but also the loss of cultural heritage and community resilience.
- Urban Planning Failures: Rapid, unplanned urban growth in Kinshasa exemplifies the failure to integrate green spaces into city development, risking long-term ecological and social stability.
These stories demonstrate that climate change is no longer a distant threat but a current crisis impacting ecosystems, carbon budgets, and cultural identities. The response must involve urgent, integrated strategies that prioritize biodiversity, urban green planning, and climate adaptation to prevent further irreversible losses.
What the papers say
The Guardian articles from January 2026 provide detailed insights into the environmental crises in Germany and Kinshasa. Patrick Greenfield highlights how Germany's forests are losing their capacity to sequester carbon due to drought and pest outbreaks, with experts warning that climate change is accelerating these diebacks. Meanwhile, the reports from Kinshasa, also by The Guardian, emphasize the cultural and ecological importance of baobab trees, which are threatened by urban development and deforestation driven by rapid city expansion. The articles contrast the scientific and cultural perspectives, illustrating how climate and urbanization are converging to threaten both natural landscapes and cultural symbols. The Guardian's coverage underscores the urgency of rethinking land use and urban planning in the face of climate change, making these stories highly relevant for global environmental policy discussions.
How we got here
The Harz mountains in Germany have experienced extensive forest dieback since 2018, driven by droughts and bark beetle outbreaks, which are linked to climate change. Similarly, urban sprawl in Kinshasa is endangering historic baobab trees, vital for local water and food security. These issues reflect broader climate and urbanization pressures affecting ecosystems and cultural landmarks across Europe and Africa.
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Kinshasa (; French: [kinʃasa]; Lingala: Kinsásá), formerly named Léopoldville from 1881–1966 (Dutch: Leopoldstad), is the capital and largest city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Kinshasa is one of the world's fastest-growing megacities, wi