The spring issue of IUCN’s Ecology & Development magazine (number 80) published an article based on research by Aidenvironment on the status of the Waza Logone floodplain in Cameroon after 30 years of development efforts. Today, new developments in the oil industry pose a major threat to the rich biodiversity and livelihood opportunities of 200,000 people in this area. A few months ago a Chinese owned oil company was granted approval to start the exploration phase for oil extraction in the floodplain. Local NGOs and research institutes accuse this company of not properly conducting the necessary social and environmental impact analyses and fear important adverse impacts of the oil exploration. They have started a joint process to inform the local population and Cameroonian public and have also begun a dialogue with the authorities and the company to ensure that all legal safeguards are respected and to inform them about the wider implications of such a venture on the future of the Waza Logone floodplain.