Correct Option (B)
The Congo Basin in Central Africa contains the world's largest tropical peatland complex, discovered in 2017. This extensive peatland covers approximately 145,500 square kilometers and stores an estimated 29 billion tonnes of carbon. This carbon reserve is equivalent to about three years of global carbon emissions from fossil fuels. Functioning as a highly efficient carbon sink, these peatlands absorb more carbon dioxide than they release. The complex spans across six countries: the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Republic of the Congo, the Central African Republic, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, and Gabon. Threats such as logging, oil exploration, and climate change pose a significant risk of peatland degradation, which could release vast amounts of stored carbon and intensify global warming.
Incorrect Options:
The Amazon Basin, while a critical global carbon reservoir due to its vast rainforests and soils, does not contain the world's largest tropical peatland. Its primary carbon storage is in biomass and general soil organic matter.
The Kikon Basin is not a recognized geographical or climatological entity. There is no known basin by this name in global geography.
The Rio de la Plata Basin is located in South America, encompassing parts of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Bolivia, and Uruguay. It is primarily known for its extensive river network and estuarine system, rather than for tropical peatlands.