Decision 42 COM 7B.83

Iguazu National Park (Argentina) (N 303)

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/18/42.COM/7B,
2. Recalling Decision 40 COM 7B.69, adopted at its 40th session (Istanbul/UNESCO, 2016),
3. Welcomes the finalization and submission of the updated Management Plan for the property and requests the State Party to ensure its formal adoption and begin its implementation as soon as possible;
4. Takes note that the Management Plan defines a buffer zone for the property, and encourages the State Party to develop and submit a Minor Boundary Modification, as per Paragraphs 163 and 164 of the Operational Guidelines, to the World Centre for evaluation by the Advisory Bodies and adoption by the World Heritage Committee, in order to officially establish a buffer zone for the property as considered appropriate;
5. Also welcomes the increased collaboration between the States Parties of Argentina and Brazil in the management of the adjacent properties Iguazú National Park and Iguaçu National Park, and also requests both States Parties to continue these efforts and to clarify whether additional actions are planned in order to further formalize transboundary cooperation, following the signing of a letter of intent between the Administración de Parques Nacionales de Argentina, Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation (ICMBio), the Iguazú National Park in Argentina and the Iguaçu National Park in Brazil in 2016;
6. Also takes note of the information provided by the State Party regarding National Route 101 (RN101) and the confirmation that no plans exist for paving or modifying the stretch of the road within the property, and further requests the State Party to clarify whether any plans exist for extension or further paving of the road outside the property, which might potentially affect its Outstanding Universal Value (OUV);
7. Further takes note that the State Party foresees to develop, in consultation with the National Roads Department, a long-term Management Plan for RN101, and requests furthermore the State Party to ensure that conservation of the property’s OUV is fully taken into account in the development of such a plan;
8. Takes note furthermore that the construction of the Baixo hydroelectric dam project in the vicinity of the neighbouring property of Iguaçu National Park in Brazil is currently underway, and therefore requests moreover the State Party of Argentina to cooperate with the State Party of Brazil on the development of a comprehensive overall monitoring system both for aquatic fauna and water flow, which would allow oversight of the implementation of requirements and action plans developed for the hydropower project, and assess their effectiveness with regards to mitigation of possible negative impacts on the OUV of the two properties;
9. Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December 2019, an updated report on the state of conservation of the property and the implementation of the above, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 44th session in 2020.