Decision 40 COM 7B.96

Golden Mountains of Altaï (Russian Federation) (N 768rev)

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/16/40.COM/7B,
2. Recalling Decision 39 COM 7B.21, adopted at its 39th session (Bonn, 2015),
3. Welcomes the State Party’s ongoing commitment to the recommendations of the 2012 mission and the progress made in this regard, and requests the State Party to continue its efforts in the implementation of the mission recommendations;
4. While noting the information provided by the State Party that no construction works on the Altai gas pipeline have been ongoing, reiterates its utmost concern that no firm decision has been made to abandon the Altai gas pipeline route, which would cross the property and reiterates its request to the State Party to take an unequivocal decision to abandon the construction of the Altai gas pipeline through the property and urges the States Parties of the Russian Federation and China to consider alternative routes for gas supply projects;
5. Reiterates its position that any decision to go forward with the Altai gas pipeline through the property would represent an ascertained danger to its Outstanding Universal Value (OUV), in line with Paragraph 180 of the Operational Guidelines, and would represent a clear case for inscription of the property on the List of World Heritage in Danger;
6. Also reiterates its request to the State Party to ensure that Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs), including assessments of impacts on the OUV of the property, in line with IUCN’s World Heritage Advice Note on Environmental Assessment, be submitted to the World Heritage Centre for any infrastructure development in or around the property, which could affect its OUV, in line with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines;
7. Also reiterates its concern about Decree 212 N 202 dated 2 August 2012 of the Republic of Altai, which allows the “construction and exploitation of linear objects as well as structures that are an integral part of the process” and therefore weakens the legal provisions protecting the property; emphasizes that, in accordance with Paragraph 180 of the Operational Guidelines, the modification of legal protection status of an area included in a property is considered as a potential danger to its OUV and a reason for inscription of the property on the List of World Heritage in Danger, and urges the State Party to revoke this decree;
8. Commends the States Parties of the Russian Federation and Kazakhstan on further progress in transboundary conservation efforts and strongly encourages all States Parties of the Altai region to consolidate existing transboundary conservation efforts, including under the World Heritage Convention, and to seek advice from the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies, as required;
9. Also requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2017, an updated report on the state of conservation of the property, in particular the status of the Altai gas pipeline project, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 41st session in 2017, with a view to considering, in case of the confirmation of ascertained or potential danger to Outstanding Universal Value, the possible inscription of the property on the List of World Heritage in Danger.