Golden Mountains of Altai
Factors affecting the property in 2001*
- Ground transport infrastructure
- Major linear utilities
Factors* affecting the property identified in previous reports
- Road construction project
- Pipeline project
International Assistance: requests for the property until 2001
Total amount approved : 0 USD
Missions to the property until 2001**
2001: UNESCO/UNDP mission
Information presented to the Bureau of the World Heritage Committee in 2001
Previous deliberations:
Twenty-second session of the Committee – paragraph VIII.3
Twenty-fourth ordinary session of the Bureau – paragraph IV.36
Twenty-fourth session of the Committee – paragraph VIII.26 / Annex X page 115.
Main issues: road construction project.
New information: No new information on the road proposal was received from the State Party. The Director of the UNESCO Office Moscow attended the meeting “The socio-economic development of the Altai Republic and the perspectives of the development of the transport system in the South of Siberia”, which was held from 15 to 16 December 2000 in Gorno Altaisk. He noted that the awareness building must be raised among the decision makers in the Altai Government about the obligations under the World Heritage Convention. He furthermore pointed out that the road proposals are linked with a gas-pipeline project and that all proposals need careful review by IUCN.
Action Required
The Bureau reiterates its request that the State Party provide a state of conservation report with particular reference to the road proposal and any other projects that may be under consideration by 15 September 2001.
Conservation issues presented to the World Heritage Committee in 2001
Following the UNESCO-UNDP mission to the site and the Bureau’s deliberations, information was received in August 2001 from the UNESCO Moscow Office of support for an international consultant to provide expertise to the Republic of Altai with regard to the road project. The Russian authorities via the Vice Head of the Section of Especially Protected Natural Territories informed the Centre that the Federal Road Fund agreed to finance the preparation of technical and economical grounds (TEG) for the road project, carried out by the Omsk Academy of Architecture and Construction, which will review the three variants of the proposed highway. At present this has not been considered by the Government of the Republic of Altai.
Summary of the interventions
Decisions adopted by the Committee in 2001
25 BUR V.163-165
Golden Mountains of Altai (Russian Federation)
V.163 The Bureau noted that no new information on the road proposal was received from the State Party. The Director of the UNESCO Office, Moscow, attended the meeting “The socio-economic development of the Altai Republic and the perspectives of the development of the transport system in the South of Siberia”, which was held on 15 to 16 December 2000 in Gorno Altaisk. He noted that awareness building must be raised among the decision-makers in the Altai Government with regard to the obligations under the World Heritage Convention. He furthermore pointed out that the road proposals are linked with a gas pipeline project and that all proposals need careful review by IUCN.
V.164 During a meeting between the Director of the UNESCO Office, Moscow, and Centre staff on 19 June 2001, the Centre was informed that the Governor of the Altai Republic envisages a feasibility study of the road and gas pipeline proposals.
V.165 The Bureau reiterated its request that the State Party provide a state of conservation report with particular reference to the road proposal and any other projects that may be under consideration by 15 September 2001.
25 COM VIII
Reports on SOC of natural properties inscribed noted by the Committee
Reports on the state of conservation of natural properties inscribed on the World Heritage List noted by the Committee
Great Barrier Reef (Australia)
Fraser Island (Australia)
The Sundarbans (Bangladesh)
Belovezhskaya Pushcha/Bialowieza Forest (Belarus/Poland)
Gros Morne National Park (Canada)
Nahanni National Park (Canada)
Los Katios National Park (Colombia)
Caves of the Aggtelek Karst and Slovak Karst (Hungary/Slovakia)
The Committee noted that the issues raised concern only the Slovak part of this transboundary site.
Sundarbans National Park (India)
The Delegate of India informed the Committee that there is no National Waterways Project that is planned or likely to impact this site.
Kaziranga National Park (India)
Komodo National Park (Indonesia)
Lorentz National Park (Indonesia)
The Observer of Indonesia thanked the Australian authorities for their financial assistance. He informed the Committee that it would be difficult to comply with the deadline of 1 February and that a report could be provided by the end of March 2002.
Aeolian Islands (Italy)
The Observer of Italy confirmed that there was a court decision on 4 December 2001, which is not yet public, but that it is hoped to be available soon. She informed the Committee that the collaboration between the autonomous regional Government and the central Government has commenced and that a meeting will take place to find a solution.
Banc d'Arguin National Park (Mauritania)
The Delegate of Egypt brought to the attention of the Committee the importance of protecting the wetlands, which are known to be important rest places for the migratory birds along their routes. He suggested that the World Heritage Centre should have a plan defining the wetlands, which are important for the birds and to use this information for establishing "satellite" World Heritage sites. IUCN informed of the co-operation between the World Heritage Centre and the Ramsar Convention as well as with Bird Life International for the protection of the wetlands. He also highlighted the importance of the surrounding areas to the World Heritage sites and the links with the Man and Biosphere programme for the protection of the sites. The Secretariat informed of the on-going discussions with the Secretariat of the Convention of Migratory Species to establish a Memorandum of Understanding between these two Conventions.
Gunung Mulu National Park (Malaysia)
Sian Ka'an (Mexico)
The Delegate of Mexico informed that the confirmation of the Ecological Land-Use Plan is in its final phase and consequently she asked that the deadline for the report requested by the Bureau be set for 15 May 2002 for examination at the twenty-sixth session of the Committee in June.
Royal Chitwan National Park (Nepal)
Western Caucasus (Russian Federation)
Golden Mountains of Altai (Russian Federation)
Doñana National Park (Spain)
Sinharaja Forest Reserve (Sri Lanka)
Ha Long Bay (Vietnam)
Giant's Causeway and Causeway Coast (United Kingdom)
St Kilda (United Kingdom)
Serengeti National Park (United Republic of Tanzania)
Great Smoky Mountains National Park (United States of America)
Canaima National Park (Venezuela)
The Bureau may wish to adopt the following decision:
“The Bureau notes the need for an international consultant to assist the State Party and the Government of the Republic of Altai and encourages the authorities to submit a well defined international assistance proposal. Such a project should be reviewed and carried out in close consultation between the State Party, IUCN, the Centre and the UNESCO Moscow Office.”
Russian FederationExports
* :
The threats indicated are listed in alphabetical order; their order does not constitute a classification according to the importance of their impact on the property.
Furthermore, they are presented irrespective of the type of threat faced by the property, i.e. with specific and proven imminent danger (“ascertained danger”) or with threats which could have deleterious effects on the property’s Outstanding Universal Value (“potential danger”).
** : All mission reports are not always available electronically.
