In this talk, Pacifique Madibi, M.S./GIS ’26, will explore the contradiction between Congolese law, which bans mining in protected areas, and the reality of widespread illegal gold mining within the Okapi Wildlife Reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. He will highlight how illegal mining contributes to water pollution, deforestation, and threats to Indigenous communities, while demonstrating how geospatial technologies and AI can strengthen environmental governance and conservation in the DRC.
