World Lake Day: GNF and Living Lakes Network nominate Lake Kivu as “Living Lakes Lake of the Year 2025”
- The Living Lakes Network and the Global Nature Fund will present the “Living Lakes Lake of the Year” on August 27, 2025, the United Nations World Lakes Day.
- The new initiative provides positive examples of the protection and sustainable use of lakes worldwide.
- Implementation of conservation and renaturation projects to preserve biodiversity.
Lake Kivu, which lies between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, has been named “Living Lakes Lake of the Year 2025” by the international Living Lakes network and the Global Nature Fund (GNF). The nomination takes place on the newly created UN World Lakes Day, which will be celebrated for the first time on August 27, 2025.
Since 2004, the international Living Lakes network and the environmental foundation Global Nature Fund have been drawing attention to endangered water bodies worldwide on World Water Day with the annual nomination of the “Threatened Lake of the Year”. The nomination as “Living Lakes Lake of the Year” replaces this long-standing campaign and will in future draw attention to the central importance of lakes for the climate, biodiversity and people every year on UN World Lakes Day.
Lake Kivu, which lies on the border between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda, is one of the oldest, ecologically most valuable and at the same time most endangered lakes in Africa. With its extraordinary biodiversity, Lake Kivu is a biodiversity hotspot. While the lake itself is home to numerous endemic species of cichlids, the surrounding mountains are home to wetlands, forests and rare animal species such as chimpanzees, forest elephants, forest antelopes and the last remaining mountain gorillas in Africa. At the same time, it is crucial for the survival of millions of people in the region – as a source of drinking water and indispensable for fishing, agriculture and other economic activities.
Despite its ecological and social importance, Lake Kivu is exposed to considerable dangers:- High concentrations of dissolved methane and carbon dioxide resulting from volcanic activity pose the risk of a so-called limnic eruption – a sudden release of gas with potentially catastrophic consequences.
- Added to this is pollution from unsustainable agriculture, mining, industrial waste and untreated domestic wastewater.
- Political conflicts in the region are hampering urgently needed environmental protection measures in many places.
- Climate change, invasive species and uncontrolled exploitation are threatening the ecological balance of the lake.
With the “Living Lakes Lake of the Year 2025” award, the international Living Lakes network not only recognizes the ecological importance of Lake Kivu, but also the positive approaches that are already contributing to its protection and renaturation. The initiatives of the Albertine Rift Conservation Society (ARCOS), a partner of the GNF’s Living Lakes Biodiversity and Climate Project (LLBCP) and the Lake Kivu and Rusizi Basin Collaborative Partnership (LKRB-CP) are particularly noteworthy.
The activities include:
- Protection of biodiversity through monitoring and protective measures for fish stocks and water quality.
- Renaturation of riparian zones and wetlands to restore natural habitats.
- Involving and empowering local communities, especially youth and women’s groups, in environmental education and sustainable use concepts.
- Protection programs for endangered species and promotion of cross-border cooperation.
“By naming it Living Lakes Lake of the Year, we not only want to draw attention to threats, but also convey hope and inspiration,” says Udo Gattenlöhner, Managing Director of the Global Nature Fund. “Lake Kivu impressively demonstrates the potential of local initiatives and international partnerships for water protection.” The award thus not only recognizes the ecological importance of the lake, but also the concrete efforts on the ground – and highlights the need to protect ecosystems worldwide.
About the Living Lakes Network
The Living Lakes Network is an international partnership of 130 members working in more than 60 countries to protect and restore lakes and wetlands worldwide. For over 20 years, the network has worked with NGOs, governments, indigenous peoples and local communities to conserve important habitats, strengthen sustainable livelihoods and educate people about the benefits of lakes and wetlands.
