The World’s Largest Tropical Peatland: A Letter from Our CEO The extent and depth of Central Africa’s tropical peatlands is comparable to the emissions from all human activities on Earth over nine months. The peatlands, and the Congo Rainforest as a whole, are a carbon sink. But if the peatlands dry out, they will start releasing back this “carbon bomb." That risk increased notably last year when the Democratic Republic of Congo began auctioning petroleum exploration concessions, including in the peatlands.