Gabon becomes first African country to get paid for protecting its forests It's not a lot of money but it's something. Could this be away to help struggling nations reduce their emissions? A A Reset Gabon, an equatorial country located at the western end of the Congo Basin rainforest, has just become the first African country to receive payment for reducing carbon emissions by protecting its rainforest. More than 90% of the country is covered by forests, which means it captures more carbon dioxide (CO2) than what it emits. Some believe this could be a pathway to getting developing nations (which have historically produced less greenhouse gas than developed nations) on board for reducing their emissions.