Case Law

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Documents WHC/17/41.COM/7, WHC/17/41.COM/7A, WHC/17/41.COM/7A.Add, WHC/17/41.COM/7A.Add.2, WHC/17/41.COM/7B and WHC/17/41.COM/7B.Add and WHC/17/41.COM/7B.Add.2,
2. Recalling Decision 40 COM 7, adopted at its 40th session (Istanbul/UNESCO, 2016),
3. Thanks the State Party of Poland, Host Country of the 41st session of the World Heritage Committee (Krakow, 2017), for having organized the first World Heritage Site Managers Forum, as a capacity-building exercise aiming at increasing the understanding of the World Heritage decision-making process among site managers, in order to achieve a more effective protection of the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV), takes note with appreciation of the World Heritage Site Managers’ Forum Statement and encourages the future Host Countries to continue this initiative and organize World Heritage Site Managers Forums in conjunction with the World Heritage Committee session;
   
   Statutory matters related to Reactive Monitoring
4. Takes note of the practices of the Secretariat to address mass campaigns on state of conservation issues;
5. Recalling the importance of Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines and its adequate implementation, further recalls Decision 40 COM 7, which requests the World Heritage Centre, in cooperation with the Advisory Bodies to evaluate the effectiveness of the Reactive Monitoring including procedures and case studies and to present a preliminary report for the consideration by the World Heritage Committee at its 42nd session in 2018, if funds are available;
   
   Emergency situations resulting from conflicts
6. Deplores the conflict situation prevailing in several countries, the loss of human life as well as the degradation of humanitarian conditions and expresses its utmost concern at the damage sustained and the threats facing cultural and natural heritage in general;
7. Urges all parties associated with conflicts to refrain from any action that would cause further damage to cultural and natural heritage and to fulfill their obligations under international law by taking all possible measures to protect such heritage, in particular the safeguarding of World Heritage properties and the sites included in the Tentative List;
8. Also urges States Parties to adopt measures against using World Heritage properties for military purposes;
9. Takes note of the progress made by the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies to launch a reflection on a post-conflict recovery strategy, and of the support extended so far through technical assistance, capacity-building, and exchange of best practices in this regard, and recommends that further support for threatened or damaged World Heritage properties be pursued;
10. Notes with concern that the conflict situation in several countries in the world has increased considerably the workload of the World Heritage Centre staff, and that an adequate implementation of the Action Plans for the Emergency Safeguarding of Cultural Heritage in Mali, Syria, Iraq, Libya and Yemen requires additional financial and human resources at the World Heritage Centre and in the UNESCO field offices; also notes the increased demands on the resources of the Advisory Bodies;
11. Calls on the international community to provide financial support for the implementation of the UNESCO Action Plans for the Emergency Safeguarding of Cultural Heritage in Syria, Iraq, Libya and Yemen, including for additional human resources at the World Heritage Centre and in the UNESCO field offices;
12. Also expresses its utmost concern about the impacts of conflicts causing an escalation of the already severe poaching crisis, as armed groups are financing their activities through illegal wildlife trade, which is having a severe impact on African wildlife, and uncontrolled development, threatening the very survival of species and the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of natural World Heritage properties;
13. Launches an appeal to all Member States of UNESCO to cooperate in the fight against the illicit trafficking of cultural heritage objects (UNESCO 1970 Convention) and illegal wildlife trade, including through the implementation of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), and to pursue the implementation of the United Nations Security Council Resolutions regarding cultural heritage protection in conflict areas, especially Resolution 2199 and 2347;
    
    Other conservation issues
    Reconstruction
14. Noting the continued need to address the issue of reconstruction in World Heritage properties following conflicts or disasters, expresses its satisfaction that several international meetings have taken place or are being planned on recovery at large, and reconstruction in particular, and welcomes the offer of the Government of Poland to host an international conference on Reconstruction to provide guidelines to the World Heritage Committee to be held in Warsaw in March 2018;
15. Encourages the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies to continue, with all relevant stakeholders, the reflection on reconstruction within World Heritage properties as a complex multi-disciplinary process, towards developing new guidance to reflect the multi-faceted challenges that reconstruction brings, its social and economic context, the short- and long-term needs of properties, and the idea of reconstruction as a process that should be undertaken within the framework of the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the properties;
16. Urges States Parties to include risk mitigation measures in the management plans of World Heritage properties to address the potential effects of conflicts or disasters on their integrity;
17. Also encourages the inclusion of capacity-building initiatives in the framework of recovery plans;
18. Requests the States Parties involved in reconstruction projects to maintain dialogue and close consultation and cooperation with the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies;
    
    Climate change
19. Recalls its Decision 40 COM 7 in relation to Climate Change, and requests the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies to pursue the implementation of this Decision as a priority, within available resources;
20. Expresses its utmost concern regarding the reported serious impacts from coral bleaching that have affected World Heritage properties in 2016-17 and that the majority of World Heritage Coral Reefs are expected to be seriously impacted by Climate Change;
21. Noting that the World Heritage Centre, in consultation with IUCN, has initiated a scientific assessment by independent experts to better understand the impacts of Climate Change on coral reef World Heritage properties, also requests the World Heritage Centre and IUCN, as resources allow, to complete this assessment as soon as possible, and to ensure its findings are communicated effectively, and further requests the World Heritage Centre and Advisory Bodies to further study the current and potential impacts of Climate Change on the OUV of World Heritage properties;
22. Reiterates the importance of States Parties undertaking the most ambitious implementation of the Paris Agreement of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) by “holding the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and by pursuing efforts to limit the global average temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, recognizing that this would significantly reduce the risks and impacts of climate change” and strongly invites all States Parties to ratify the Paris Agreement at the earliest possible opportunity and to undertake actions to address Climate Change under the Paris Agreement consistent with their common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities, in the light of different national circumstances, that are fully consistent with their obligations within the World Heritage Convention to protect the OUV of all World Heritage properties;
23. Takes note with satisfaction of the updated UNESCO Strategy for Action on Climate Change, approved by the UNESCO Executive Board at its 201st session in April 2017 (201 EX/Decision 5.I.B), and invites all States Parties to engage fully with the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies, for its effective implementation;
24. Also recalls the need for all States Parties to continue, and where necessary to strengthen all efforts to build resilience of World Heritage properties to Climate Change, including by further reducing to the greatest extent possible all other pressures and threats, and by developing and implementing climate adaptation strategies for properties at risk of Climate Change impacts;
25. Requests furthermore the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies to report on progress in relation to action on World Heritage and Climate Change, and to present, subject to available time and resources, a proposed update to the “Policy Document on the Impacts of Climate Change on World Heritage Properties”, for possible consideration by the World Heritage Committee at its 42nd session in 2018, and notes with appreciation the willingness of civil society groups to engage in this process;
    
    Urban pressure
26. Noting that the increasing urban pressure in and around numerous World Heritage properties has become a major threat to their Outstanding Universal Value (OUV),
27. Taking note of the outcomes of the Habitat III Conference and notably the adoption of the “New Urban Agenda”,
28. Also taking note of the necessity to pursue the application of the Historic Urban Landscape approach towards a more effective and durable conservation and management of the urban heritage inscribed on the World Heritage List, and requests the States Parties to fully consider the 2011 UNESCO Recommendation on Historic Urban Landscape (HUL) ;
29. Calls on States Parties to take into account the recommendations of the Global Report on Culture for Sustainable Urban Development and take the necessary measures to integrate the role of culture in sustainable urban development in order to achieve SDG 11 – Target 4;
    
    Vandalism
30. Notes with concern increasing vandalism at World Heritage properties and encourages States Parties to improve monitoring and security measures as well as awareness raising on the detrimental effects of vandalism, and to consider introducing creative solutions to allow visitors to express themselves without leaving permanent marks or damage;
    
    Disasters Risk Reduction
31. Welcomes the Action Plan for the implementation of the Strategy for reinforcing UNESCO’s action for the protection of culture and the promotion of cultural pluralism in the event of armed conflict (hereafter the Strategy), adopted by the UNESCO General Conference in 2015 (38 C/Res.48), whose implementation would be of great importance for the protection of World Heritage in situations of armed conflicts and disasters associated with natural and human-made hazards;
32. Encourages States Parties to provide support to the implementation of the Strategy and its Action Plan, including through contributions to the Heritage Emergency Fund, as well as in kind contributions and advocacy at the highest international levels for the integration of a concern for culture in key international humanitarian, development, and peacekeeping operations;
    
    Invasive species
33. Recalling its Decision 39 COM 7, adopted at its 39th session (Bonn, 2015),
34. Noting with concern the continued threat posed by invasive alien species on natural World Heritage properties, strongly encourages the States Parties to develop adequately resourced invasive alien species strategies that emphasize prevention and early warning and rapid response in World Heritage properties;
    
    Illegal trade of wildlife species
35. Reiterates its utmost concern about the continued impacts of poaching and illegal logging on World Heritage properties driven primarily by the illegal trade of wildlife species and its products, and requests the World Heritage Centre and IUCN to take action, as resources permit, to strengthen the collaboration between the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and the World Heritage Convention;
36. Reiterates its appeal to all Member States of UNESCO to cooperate in the fight against the illicit trade in wildlife and its products, including through the implementation of the CITES, and with the full engagement of transit and destination countries;
    
    Integrated approaches for the conservation of natural and cultural heritage
37. Recalling that the World Heritage Convention explicitly links the concepts of cultural and natural heritage, highlights the importance of promoting integrated approaches that strengthen holistic governance, improve conservation outcomes and contribute to sustainable development;
38. Notes with appreciation the growing interest and efforts by the States Parties and heritage practitioners to develop and apply integrated approaches to conservation of natural and cultural heritage, and encourages the States Parties, the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies, in cooperation with universities and other relevant actors, to continue and expand these efforts, in accordance with the Policy Document for the integration of a Sustainable Development Perspective into the Processes of the Convention (2015);
    
    List of World Heritage in Danger
39. Reiterates its request to the World Heritage Centre, in consultation with the Advisory Bodies and States Parties, to promote better understanding of the implications and benefits of properties being inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger, and to develop appropriate information material in this regard with a view to overcome the negative perceptions of the List of World Heritage in Danger. The information material should highlight the importance of the protection of the Outstanding Universal Value;
    
    Other issues
40. Takes note with appreciation of the Chairperson of the 41st session of the World Heritage Committee’s initiative on structured dialogue with civil society and encourages States Parties and civil society organizations to continue exploring possibilities how civil society can further contribute to enhanced conservation of heritage on the site and national level and provide relevant input to the heritage related debate at the global level;
41. Notes, in conformity with Resolution 20 GA 13 of the General Assembly of the World Heritage Convention and the Decision 39 COM 11 (Bonn, 2015) of the World Heritage Committee, the establishment of the International Indigenous Peoples Forum on World Heritage as an important reflection platform on the involvement of Indigenous Peoples in the identification, conservation and management of World Heritage properties, with a particular focus on the nomination process.

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/17/41.COM/7B,
2. Recalling Decision 39 COM 7B.75, adopted at its 39th session (Bonn, 2015),
3. Notes the efforts undertaken by the State Party to continue to improve the conservation and management of the property, notably the maintenance and restoration works carried out in 2015 and 2016, and strongly encourages the State Party to proceed with the timely adoption and implementation of the draft Law “On Cultural Heritage and Museums”;
4. Welcomes the progress made with the development of monitoring indicators related to the protection of Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) during the April 2016 workshop, and also encourages the State Party and stakeholders to proceed with their finalization and continue monitoring and controlling development;
5. Recalling the fundamental and urgent need for an overarching Integrated Management Plan (IMP) and appropriate control mechanisms for the property and its buffer zones and beyond, regrets that, despite its repeated requests, no progress has been reported on the development of such IMP for the property and urges the State Party to develop, as a matter of priority, an overarching IMP, including a risk management component with threat mitigation measures, and to:
   1. Develop an integrated urban conservation and development tool, based on a detailed survey and documentation of all buildings and environmental features in the urban settlement and its wider context, using if necessary the approach carried by the Recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape (2011),and ensure strong inter-institutional cooperation in particular with the entities responsible for urban planning,
   2. Maintain the moratorium on new constructions within the property and buffer zones, until approval of the above-mentioned tools for protection and management of Berat and Gjirokastra;
6. Requests the State Party to take into consideration the review and recommendations provided by the Advisory Bodies concerning the infrastructural projects, and in particular, with regard to the Gjirokastra Bypass Road project, reassess the carrying capacity and scale in order to minimize potential adverse impacts of this development project on the OUV of property;
7. Reiterates its request to the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre the results of a Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) concerning the entirety of the rehabilitation project at Berat Castle, for review by the Advisory Bodies;
8. Further encourages the State Party to continue to provide to the World Heritage Centre any development proposals before their official approval, in line with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines, for review by the Advisory Bodies;
9. Also requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December 2018, 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 43rd session in 2019.

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/17/41.COM/7B.Add,
2. Recalling Decisions 39 COM 7B.94 and 40 COM 7B.49, adopted at its 39th (Bonn, 2015) and 40th (Istanbul/UNESCO, 2016) sessions respectively,
3. Also recalling the concerns expressed by the 2012 mission regarding the critical level of urban development reached since inscription and its cumulative impacts on the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property, the need for new tools to guide the development process towards sustainable development that protects the attributes of the OUV, and the specific recommendations of the 2015 mission to the property,
4. Noting the information provided by the State Party including design changes and a Heritage Impact Assessment for the proposed Vienna Ice-Skating Club – Intercontinental Hotel – Vienna Konzerthaus project, the resolution of the City Council of Vienna dated 5th May 2017, the intention to analyze and review existing urban planning instruments, and the advice regarding proposed projects in the the Karlsplatz-area,
5. Welcomes the study on historic roof constructions in the Historic Centre of Vienna by the Federal Monuments Authority in collaboration with the City of Vienna, and requests the State Party to adopt a moratorium on projects that involve any modification of the roofscapes within the property, until the study has been completed;
6. Notes with regret that the changes made to the proposed Vienna Ice-Skating Club – Intercontinental Hotel – Vienna Konzerthaus project do not comply with the previous requests of the Committee, and that the proposed project remains inconsistent with the recommendations of the 2012 and 2015 missions and would adversely affect the OUV of the property if implemented in its current form, and therefore reiterates its requests to the State Party to submit a further revised design to the World Heritage Centre, for review by the Advisory Bodies, before any decisions are made regarding its implementation, in accordance with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines;
7. Reiterating its concern that the High-Rise Concept abolishes exclusion zones for high-rise buildings in the Vienna urban areas, without having applied appropriate instruments of control for height, volume and urban density respecting the OUV of the property, and that the Glacis Master Plan permits the construction of buildings of a scale that would have an adverse impact on the urban form and character of the Glacis area, expresses its regret that these instruments have not been repealed or substantially amended, and therefore also reiterates its request to the State Party to facilitate the preparation of revised planning rules and guidelines, which:
   1. Establish parameters for the urban density as well as specific standards for building height and volume for the property and buffer zone,
   2. Safeguard the urban morphology that is an essential attribute of the property,
   3. Encourage sustainable development in the property and its buffer zone in harmony with its OUV,
   4. Require that all high-rise projects are evaluated through a comprehensive Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA), prepared in accordance with the ICOMOS Guidance on HIAs for Cultural World Heritage properties, including reference to 3D visual simulations, so that the effects of the proposed development on the OUV of the property can be properly considered;
   5. Incorporate the intent of the resolution of the City Council of Vienna, dated 5 May 2017 within the revised planning rules and guidelines;
8. Also requests the State Party to facilitate review of the designs for the proposed developments in the Karlsplatz-area, having particular regard to the setting of the Karlskirche, and to ensure that the proposals are evaluated through a comprehensive HIA, prepared in accordance with the ICOMOS Guidance on HIAs for Cultural World Heritage properties, and that comprehensive documentation, including adequate scale drawings and visualizations of the planned interventions as observed from ground level, are submitted to the World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies, in accordance with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines, before any decision is made regarding the future of these projects;
9. Urges the State Party not to amend the current land use and development plans and to halt any further approvals for high-rise projects, pending the preparation of the revised planning rules, and submit the proposed designs and related HIAs for any future high-rise projects to the World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies, in accordance with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines;
10. Regrets that the State Party has not complied with the requests expressed by the Committee in Decision 40 COM 7B.49, in particular related to the lack of change to existing planning controls and the inadequate extent of change proposed for the Vienna Ice-Skating Club – Intercontinental Hotel – Vienna Konzerthaus project;
11. Considers that the current planning controls pose serious and specific threats to the OUV of the property, such that the property is in danger, in accordance with Paragraph 179 of the Operational Guidelines and decides to inscribe the Historic Centre of Vienna (Austria) on the List of World Heritage in Danger;
12. Further requests the State Party, in consultation with the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies, to develop a set of corrective measures, a timeframe for their implementation, and a Desired state of conservation for removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger (DSOCR), for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 42nd session in 2018;
13. Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2018, 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 42nd session in 2018.

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/17/41.COM/7B.Add,
2. Recalling Decision 40 COM 7B.6, adopted at its 40th session (Istanbul/UNESCO, 2016),
3. Acknowledges the measures taken by the State Party to address urban development issues, notably through amendments to legislation and ongoing revisions to the Master Plan enhancing cultural heritage protection of the property;
4. Notes the conclusions and recommendations of the March 2017 joint World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS Reactive Monitoring mission, notably that, while the general state of conservation of the property remains satisfactory, the impact of inappropriate town planning, lack of regulations and overall strategic vision pose a threat to its visual integrity and thus to the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property;
5. Requests the State Party to:
   1. Finalize, adopt and implement the Management Pan for the property as a matter of priority,
   2. Prepare an inventory of existing licensed constructions, and particularly approved tall buildings, in the protected area,
   3. Carry out comprehensive Heritage Impact Assessments (HIAs) including 3D visual simulations of all potential projects to ensure the impacts on the property and its visual integrity can be considered and avoided,
   4. Impose a legal ban on all previously delivered and planned permits for constructions in the buffer zone of the property and its vicinity until these HIAs have been reviewed by the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies,
   5. Facilitate urgent finalization and adoption of the Master Plan of Kyiv, which should incorporate an Urban Development Concept, and the Zoning Plan of Kyiv Central,
   6. Impose stringent regulations to prohibit high rise buildings within the buffer zone, maintain the height of buildings undergoing renovation,
   7. Adopt and implement the amended Law of Ukraine on the Protection of Cultural Heritage including a legal definition of World Heritage;
6. Also requests the State Party to address and resolve weaknesses in management observed by previous missions, by ensuring institutionalised coordination and cooperation in management of the property within the framework of the Management Plan;
7. Recommends the State Party to develop a long term programme applying the principles and requirements established in the Nara Document of Authenticity (1994) and the Riga Charter (2000) prior to further planned reconstruction and rehabilitation works at the Monastery of Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra;
8. Also recommends monitoring mechanisms to survey stability of structures be installed at all monuments at risk;
9. Further requests the State Party to implement previous Committee decisions and the recommendations of the 2017 mission;
10. Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December 2018, 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 43rd session in 2019, with a view to considering, in the case of confirmation of the ascertained or potential danger to Outstanding Universal Value, the possible inscription of the property on the List of World Heritage in Danger.

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/16/40.COM/7B.Add,
2. Recalling Decision 39 COM 7B.94, adopted at its 39th session (Bonn, 2015),
3. Also recalling the concerns expressed by the 2012 mission regarding the critical level of urban development reached since inscription and its cumulative impacts on the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property, and the need for new tools to orient the development process towards sustainable development that protects the attributes of the OUV,
4. Noting the information provided by the State Party about the stage of implementation of the proposed Vienna Ice-Skating Club – Intercontinental Hotel – Vienna Konzerthaus project,
5. Expresses its concern that the High-Rise Concept abolishes exclusion zones for high-rises in the Vienna urban areas, without having applied appropriate instruments of control for height, volume and urban density, which respect the OUV of the property; and that the Glacis Master Plan permits the construction of buildings of a scale that would have an adverse impact on the urban form and character of the Glacis area;
6. Notes the recommendations of the 2015 mission to the property and requests the State Party to implement its recommendations and in particular aligning the use of the existing tools with the protection of the property’s OUV, including authenticity and integrity, as laid out in the Management Plan and associated legal instruments such as local Decrees on protected urban areas (ensembles, buffer zone etc.) and guidelines on urban development;
7. Also requests the State Party to facilitate the preparation of revised planning rules and guidelines which:
   1. Establish parameters for the urban density as well as specific standards for building height and volume for the property and buffer zone,
   2. Safeguard the urban morphology that is an essential attribute of the property,
   3. Encourage sustainable development in the property and its buffer zone in harmony with its OUV,
   4. Require that all high-rise projects are evaluated through a comprehensive Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA), prepared in accordance with the ICOMOS 2011 Guidance on HIAs for Cultural World Heritage properties, including reference to 3D visual simulations, so that the effects of the proposed development on the OUV of the property can be properly considered;
8. Urges the State Party to halt any further approvals for high-rise projects, pending the preparation of the revised planning rules, and submit the proposed designs and related HIAs for any future high-rise projects to the World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies, in accordance with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines;
9. While noting the State Party’s decision not to pursue the land use planning procedures for the proposed Vienna Ice-Skating Club – Intercontinental Hotel – Vienna Konzerthaus project, nevertheless expresses its concern that the proposed project remains inconsistent with the recommendations of the 2012 mission and would adversely affect the OUV of the property, if implemented in its current form, and also urges the State Party to facilitate a major revision of this project design to:
   1. Reduce the height of the proposed building to comply with the recommendations of the 2012 mission report,
   2. Take into account scale and massing in relation to the characteristics of the location and the OUV of the property,
   3. Harmonize the project design with the attributes of the specific location, which is an integral part of the property,
   4. Reduce the visual impact of the proposed building on both the close urban context and views of the Historic Centre of Vienna;
10. Further requests the State Party to submit the revised design to the World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies before any decisions are made regarding its implementation, in accordance with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines;
11. Finally 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 and the implementation of the above, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 41st session in 2017, with a view to considering, in the case of confirmation of the ascertained or potential danger to Outstanding Universal Value, the possible inscription of the property on the List of World Heritage in Danger.

The World Heritage Committee,

1.  Having examined Document WHC-13/37.COM/7B,

2.  Recalling Decision 35 COM 7B.84 adopted at its 35th session (UNESCO, 2011),

3.  Notes that a joint World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS reactive monitoring mission to the property took place in September 2012 and requests the State Party to implement the recommendations of the mission;

4.  Takes note of the information provided by the State Party on 31 May 2013 concerning the new project proposed in and around the Intercontinental Hotel, urges the State Party to provide the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies with details of the two proposed options for the development of the area and also urges the State Party to halt any redevelopment higher than existing structures until an evaluation has been made by the Advisory Bodies;

5.  Regrets the remaining visual impact of the developments at Vienna Main Train Station on the immediate and wider setting of the properties and also requests the State Party to endorse planning policies, in particular through amending item 46 of Vienna’s Urban Development Guidelines, to prevent similar developments in the future;

6.  Further requests the State Party to integrate standard requirements for comprehensive visual impact assessments in relation to the Outstanding Universal Value of the properties in its urban planning policies (including regulations for night-time impacts caused by illuminated advertisements);

7.  Requests furthermore the State Party to inform, in conformity with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines , the World Heritage Centre of any additional major urban development projects as well as amendments to current projects that may have a negative impact on the World Heritage properties, before any planning permissions are granted;

8.  Finally requests the State Party to provide a report to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2014 , on the state of conservation of the property and the implementation of the above.  

The World Heritage Committee,

1.   Having examined Document WHC-12/36.COM/7B.Add,

2.   Recalling Decisions 33 COM 7B.123, 34 COM 7B.100, 35 COM 7B.110, adopted at its 33rd (Seville, 2009), 34th (Brasilia, 2010) and 35th (UNESCO, 2011) sessions respectively,

3.   Regrets that work on the Torre Pelli-Cajasol has not been suspended, as requested by the Committee at its last session, and that no discussions or consultations have been undertaken to consider how the project could be improved and any possible impact further reduced;

4.   Notes with concern the findings of the ICOMOS Advisory Mission that the tower has a highly negative visual impact on the setting of the property and thus on its context and relationship to the river and other buildings which support its attributes that convey Outstanding Universal Value;

5.   Urges the State Party to undertake, in collaboration with ICOMOS, studies to avoid similar developments in the future;

6.   Also urges the State Party to complete and approve the necessary Special Protection Plans for all sectors of the buffer zone and to put in place appropriate protection for the wider setting in order to address the current development pressures; such buffer zone will have to be revised in order to provide the appropriate protection to the property;

7.   Requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies, technical details of all major building projects planned for the buffer zone and setting, that might impact on the Outstanding Universal Value of the property, together with appropriate Heritage Impact Assessments, in line with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines, before any irreversible commitments are made;

8.   Takes note of the State Party offer to organize, before the end of 2012, an international expert meeting in Seville to study the issue of contemporary architecture and of historic urban landscapes;

9.   Further requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2013, a report on the state of conservation of the property and on the advancement and results of the above decided actions, for review by the World Heritage Committee at its 37th session in 2013.

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC-09/33.COM/7B,

2. Recalling Decision 32 COM 7B.68, adopted at its 32nd session (Quebec City, 2008),

3. Welcomes the measures taken by the State Party of China to mitigate possible negative impacts of development projects on the visual integrity of the property by reducing height limits for construction in sensitive areas surrounding the Guia Hill and the Monte Fortress;

4. Notes with concern, however, the apparent inadequacy of the current management system, with its buffer zone and legal provisions, to protect effectively the very important visual and functional linkages between the inscribed monuments and the wider urban land and seascape of Macao;

5. Requests the State Party, in consultation with the World Heritage Centre and Advisory Bodies, to develop a draft Statement of Outstanding Universal Value including the above-mentioned linkages;

6. Also requests the State Party to develop the appropriate legal and planning tools to protect these linkages, including a comprehensive urban plan that seeks to protect the heritage significance of what is left of the historic urban landscape that contributes to the setting and views of the property;

7. Further requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2011, an updated report on the progress made in implementing the measures mentioned above, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 35th session in 2011.

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC-08/32.COM/7B,

2. Recalling Decision 31 COM 7B.71, adopted at its 31st session (Christchurch, 2007),

3. Notes the efforts made by the State Party to address the overall preservation and conservation of the property and particularly the successful diversion of the subway;

4. Also notes the progress made in drafting the nomination dossier for the extension of the property to include the Cultural and Historic Axis of Esfahan;

5. Urges the State Party to complete the reduction of the height of the Jahan Nama Commercial Complex to ensure minimum negative impacts upon the visual integrity of the property;

6. Requests the State Party to establish mechanisms for undertaking systematic cultural, social and Environmental Impact Assessments prior to designing large scale development projects, which might impact on the Outstanding Universal Value of the property;

7. Also requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2009, a detailed report on the progress to complete the reduction of the height of the Jahan Nama Commercial Complex tower and in establishing assessment mechanisms for large scale projects, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 33rd session in 2009.

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC-08/32.COM/7B,

2. Recalling Decision 31 COM 7B.108, adopted at its 31st session (Christchurch, 2007),

3. Takes note of the French State Party's commitment to improve existing legislation to guarantee satisfactory legal protection and appropriate authorization procedures with regard to World Heritage status;

4. Also takes note of the detailed visual impact study provided by the State Party of France regarding the Outstanding Universal Value of the property, and that the present project covers, for the most part, the area of the old cloth market, coherent with the secular use of the immediate surroundings of the Béthune Belfry for commercial activities ;

5. Considers that the parking project does not have any direct visual impact on the inscribed property;

6. Encourages the State Party of France to:

a) confirm the strengthening of the legal protection and reinforce procedures for the authorization of work permits for World Heritage properties and their buffer zones;

b) supervise the strict implementation of the project for the covered market of the Béthune Belfry and its reversibility;

c) provide the World Heritage Centre with a detailed report on the archaeological situation of the underground area of the Belfry, by 1 February 2009.