Decision 38 COM 7B.64

The Sundarbans (Bangladesh) (N 798)

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC-14/38.COM/7B.Add,
2. Recalling Decision 35 COM 7B.11, adopted at its 35th session (UNESCO, 2011),
3. Regrets that the State Party did not submit a report on the state of conservation of the property as requested by the Committee at its 35th session;
4. Notes with concern that the indirect impacts on the property of the construction of a coal fired power plant at Khulna do not appear to have been assessed, considers that increased navigation on the Pashur River and the required dredging are likely to have a significant adverse impact on the property’s Outstanding Universal Value (OUV), and requests the State Party to ensure that the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the dredging activities include a specific assessment of potential impacts on OUV, in conformity with IUCN’s World Heritage Advice Note on Environmental Assessment, and to submit it to the World Heritage Centre prior to making any decisions that would be difficult to reverse in accordance with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines ;
5. Also notes with concern the reports of further infrastructure and industrial development downstream of the power plant, and of plans for the construction of an additional coal fired power plant in the same location, and also requests the State Party to undertake a comprehensive Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) to ensure that cumulative impacts of developments in the Sundarbans are adequately assessed, including in relation to the OUV of the property;
6. Reiterates that in the absence of ecological monitoring data for the property, it is not possible to assess the status of its OUV, and also reiterates its request to the State Party to urgently submit the results of the ecological monitoring programme to the World Heritage Centre for review by IUCN;
7. Recalls that inadequate resources and infrastructure are likely to limit the effective protection of the property against potential threats from poaching, resource extraction and other illegal activities, and encourages the State Party to submit an International Assistance request to further support the ongoing restoration of infrastructure and the procurement of management resources;
8. Further requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2015, an updated report, including a 1-page executive summary, on the state of conservation of the property and on the urgent progress required to address the issues mentioned above, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 39th session in 2015.