Decision 44 COM 7B.182

Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan Protected Area (China) (N 1083bis)

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
2. Recalling Decisions 37 COM 7B.12 and 43 COM 7B.5, adopted at its 37th (Phnom Penh, 2013) and 43rd (Baku, 2019) sessions respectively,
3. Appreciates the clarification of the institutional responsibilities for ecological restoration in post-mining sites and the development of new plans and guidelines for implementation, and requests the State Party to provide more details on the active and passive restoration measures which are being taken, to seek further advice from IUCN to facilitate natural regeneration in high altitudes, and to ensure that adequate surveillance and law enforcement measures are applied to prevent any reoccurrence of illegal mining activities;
4. Urges the State Party to further improve and finalise the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA), in line with international best practices and the IUCN World Heritage Advice Note on Environmental Assessment, and to ensure that the SEA includes an assessment of indirect and cumulative impacts of both the upstream and downstream catchments of Nujiang, Lancang and Jinsha Rivers, so that the results can inform management and decision making for future developments;
5. Noting the State Party’s request for further advice on the improvement and finalisation of the SEA, encourages the State Party to invite an IUCN Advisory mission to that effect;
6. Welcomes the progress achieved at the national and provincial levels to strengthen environmental protection and promote sustainable development, but reiterates its requests to expedite the development of the Conservation Management Plan (CMP) and Management Effectiveness Assessment (MEA) system in line with the recommendations of the 2013 Reactive Monitoring mission, and requests the State Party to submit the updated draft CMP to the World Heritage Centre for review by IUCN;
7. Urgently requests the State Party to also implement the other recommendations of the 2013 IUCN Reactive Monitoring mission, and specifically to establish a monitoring system for all mining and prospecting activities between the Hong Shan and the Haba Snow Mountain components of the property in order to understand risks and impacts, particularly with regard to landscape connectivity and wildlife;
8. Notes with concern the possible direct, indirect and cumulative impacts on the property’s Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the proposed power transmission line project through the Gaoligongshan National Nature Reserve component of the property, and also recalling the recommendation of the 2013 Reactive Monitoring mission to avoid the construction of transmission infrastructure within the property and its buffer zones, also requests the State Party to explore an alternative option that will not impact the OUV of the property;
9. Further requests the State Party to ensure the development of a holistic plan on power generation and electricity transmission that ensures the protection of the property’s OUV;
10. Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December 2022, 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 46th session.