The effects of climate change are now visible in certain areas of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), especially the torrential rains, the prolonged drought season and the disappearance of certain species of animals, a UN agency official says.

Madou Aruna, a technical consultant with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), made the remarks in Bukavu, the headquarters of South Kivu province, the Congolese press reported on Sunday.

Aruna told a weekend sensitization and consultation workshop on gas emissions that the fight against climate change and its impact must be taken seriously by everyone, including the DRC and other member states of the Congo basin.

Funded by the World Bank, the environment workshop is organized under the framework of "Partnership Fund" and the program for reduction of gas emissions in collaboration with Congolese Ministry of Environment.

The workshop, which ran from Wednesday till Saturday, brought together 100 Congolese and international participants on how to reduce the environmental degradation and help to regain the normal pattern of climate.

(Xinhua News Agency September 29, 2009)