Policy Compendium
3 - Policies Regarding CONSERVATION of World Heritage Properties
3.5 - Factors affecting properties
Synthesis based on relevant Committee decisions
The World Heritage Committee recommends to enhance the regulation and monitoring of pollution, and to create management plans that consider options to address and to put in place adequate measures to mitigate the impact associated to the pollution, and its potential impact on the Outstanding Universal Value of the property, including the control of sources of pollution affecting the property (based on Case law on decisions on the State of Conservation).
The World Heritage Committee recommends to enhance the regulation and monitoring of pollution, and to create management plans that consider options to address and to put in place adequate measures to mitigate the impact associated to the pollution, and its potential impact on the Outstanding Universal Value of the property, including the control of sources of pollution affecting the property (based on Case law on decisions on the State of Conservation).
| Theme: | 3.5.4 - Pollution |
| See for examples Decisions: | 31 COM 7B.31 31 COM 7B.4 33 COM 7B.28 35 COM 7B.23 36 COM 7B.22 41 COM 7B.25 |
| Threats: | Air pollution Ground water pollution Input of excess energy Pollution of marine waters Solid waste Surface water pollution |
3 - Policies Regarding CONSERVATION of World Heritage Properties
3.5 - Factors affecting properties
18. "[The World Heritage Committee] notes with significant concern that World Heritage properties are increasingly threatened by extractive industries (…), once again urges all States Parties to the Convention and leading industry stakeholders to respect the "No-go" commitment by not permitting extractive activities within World Heritage properties, and by making every effort to ensure that extractives companies located in their territory cause no damage to World Heritage properties, in line with Article 6 of the Convention."
| Theme: | 3.5.6 - Physical resource extraction |
| Decision: | 37 COM 7 40 COM 7 |
| Threats: | Mining Oil and gas Quarrying Water (extraction) |
3 - Policies Regarding CONSERVATION of World Heritage Properties
3.5 - Factors affecting properties
Synthesis based on relevant Committee decisions
The World Heritage Committee requests States Parties not to explore or mine in World Heritage properties, in line with the Committee’s established position that mineral exploration and mining are incompatible with World Heritage status and the international policy statement of the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM) of not undertaking these activities in World Heritage properties (based on Case law on decisions on the State of Conservation).
The World Heritage Committee requests States Parties not to explore or mine in World Heritage properties, in line with the Committee’s established position that mineral exploration and mining are incompatible with World Heritage status and the international policy statement of the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM) of not undertaking these activities in World Heritage properties (based on Case law on decisions on the State of Conservation).
| Theme: | 3.5.6 - Physical resource extraction |
| See for examples Decisions: | 35 COM 7B.22 37 COM 7B.8 40 COM 7B.104 41 COM 7A.19 |
| Threats: | Mining Oil and gas Quarrying Water (extraction) |
3 - Policies Regarding CONSERVATION of World Heritage Properties
3.5 - Factors affecting properties
Synthesis based on relevant Committee decisions
The World Heritage Committee reiterates that mining activities and oil and gas exploration and exploitation are incompatible with World Heritage status (based on Case law on decisions on the State of Conservation).
The World Heritage Committee reiterates that mining activities and oil and gas exploration and exploitation are incompatible with World Heritage status (based on Case law on decisions on the State of Conservation).
| Theme: | 3.5.6 - Physical resource extraction |
| See for examples Decisions: | 38 COM 7B.92 38 COM 7B.80 40 COM 7B.85 40 COM 7B.71 |
| Threats: | Mining Oil and gas Quarrying Water (extraction) |
3 - Policies Regarding CONSERVATION of World Heritage Properties
3.5 - Factors affecting properties
Synthesis based on relevant Committee decisions
When mining or other type of exploitation is foreseen, the World Heritage Committee requests to get an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment, meeting international standards, before any commencement of exploitation at the property and adjacent to the property (based on Case law on decisions on the State of Conservation).
When mining or other type of exploitation is foreseen, the World Heritage Committee requests to get an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment, meeting international standards, before any commencement of exploitation at the property and adjacent to the property (based on Case law on decisions on the State of Conservation).
| Theme: | 3.5.6 - Physical resource extraction |
| See for examples Decisions: | 35 COM 7B.22 36 COM 7B.1 38 COM 7B.92 |
| Threats: | Mining Oil and gas Quarrying Water (extraction) |
3 - Policies Regarding CONSERVATION of World Heritage Properties
3.5 - Factors affecting properties
Synthesis based on relevant Committee decisions
The World Heritage Committee requests States Parties to undertake a comprehensive assessment of the conditions as well as an analysis of ways to address the underlying causes of local conditions affecting the fabric, and to elaborate a comprehensive strategy to address the impacts, including priority emergency measures, mitigation measures and an intervention programme (based on Case law on decisions on the State of Conservation).
The World Heritage Committee requests States Parties to undertake a comprehensive assessment of the conditions as well as an analysis of ways to address the underlying causes of local conditions affecting the fabric, and to elaborate a comprehensive strategy to address the impacts, including priority emergency measures, mitigation measures and an intervention programme (based on Case law on decisions on the State of Conservation).
| Theme: | 3.5.7 - Local conditions affecting the fabric |
| See for examples Decisions: | 36 COM 7A.34 37 COM 7A.23 37 COM 7B.74 38 COM 7A.1 40 COM 7A.14 40 COM 7A.9 41 COM 7A.32 41 COM 7A.27 |
| Threats: | Dust Micro-organisms Pests Radiation/light Relative humidity Temperature Water (rain/water table) Wind |
3 - Policies Regarding CONSERVATION of World Heritage Properties
3.5 - Factors affecting properties
Synthesis based on relevant Committee decisions
Synthesis based on relevant Committee decisions
The World Heritage Committee requests to strengthen the efforts and provide means to remove, combat, neutralize and control the action and impact of armed groups in the property (based on case law on decisions on State of Conservation).
Synthesis based on relevant Committee decisions
The World Heritage Committee requests to strengthen the efforts and provide means to remove, combat, neutralize and control the action and impact of armed groups in the property (based on case law on decisions on State of Conservation).
| Theme: | 3.5.9 - Other human activities |
| See for examples Decisions: | 35 COM 7A.7 36 COM 7A.5 38 COM 7A.37 39 COM 7A.6 42 COM 7A.52 42 COM 7A.51 |
| Threats: | Military training Terrorism War |
3 - Policies Regarding CONSERVATION of World Heritage Properties
3.5 - Factors affecting properties
6. "Reiterating its utmost concern about the continued impacts on World Heritage properties due to the rising pressure from poaching, particularly of elephant, rhinoceros, and valuable timber species, linked to a growing illicit trade, and the increasing involvement of organized crime in this lucrative business, [the World Heritage Committee] reiterates its request to the World Heritage Centre and IUCN to strengthen their cooperation with the Secretariat of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) to assist States Parties to implement the measures taken by the 16th Conference of the Parties of the CITES (…), and urges States Parties to ensure strong international collaboration and coordination to control the illicit trade in flora and fauna and their products."
| Theme: | 3.5.9 - Other human activities |
| Decision: | 38 COM 7 |
| Threats: | Civil unrest Deliberate destruction of heritage Illegal activities Military training Terrorism War |
3 - Policies Regarding CONSERVATION of World Heritage Properties
3.5 - Factors affecting properties
35. "[The World Heritage Committee] 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."
| Theme: | 3.5.9 - Other human activities |
| Decision: | 41 COM 7 |
3 - Policies Regarding CONSERVATION of World Heritage Properties
3.5 - Factors affecting properties
20. "[The World Heritage Committee] expresses its utmost concern about the impacts of conflicts causing an escalation of the already severe poaching crisis in central Africa, as armed groups are financing their activities through illegal wildlife trade, which is having a severe impact on wildlife populations, thereby degrading the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of natural World Heritage properties;"
| Theme: | 3.5.9 - Other human activities |
| Decision: | 42 COM 7 |
| Threats: | Civil unrest Deliberate destruction of heritage Illegal activities Military training Terrorism War |
3 - Policies Regarding CONSERVATION of World Heritage Properties
3.5 - Factors affecting properties
9. "[The World Heritage Committee] Reiterates its utmost concern about the continuing threats of wildlife poaching and illegal trafficking of wildlife products linked to impacts of conflict and organized crime, which is eroding the biodiversity and Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of many World Heritage sites across the world, and urges States Parties to take the necessary measures to curb this problem, including through the implementation of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES);"
| Theme: | 3.5.9 - Other human activities |
| Decision: | 43 COM 7.2 |
3 - Policies Regarding CONSERVATION of World Heritage Properties
3.5 - Factors affecting properties
Synthesis based on relevant Committee decisions
The World Heritage Committee requests States Parties to take all measures possible to halt poaching in the property (based on Case law on decisions on the State of Conservation).
The World Heritage Committee requests States Parties to take all measures possible to halt poaching in the property (based on Case law on decisions on the State of Conservation).
| Theme: | 3.5.9 - Other human activities |
| See for examples Decisions: | 33 COM 7B.11 38 COM 7A.45 40 COM 7A.37 |
| Threats: | Civil unrest Deliberate destruction of heritage Illegal activities Military training Terrorism War |
3 - Policies Regarding CONSERVATION of World Heritage Properties
3.5 - Factors affecting properties
Synthesis based on relevant Committee decisions
The World Heritage Committee requests States Parties to promote traditional land management practices [and] 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 (based on Case law on decisions on the State of Conservation).
The World Heritage Committee requests States Parties to promote traditional land management practices [and] 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 (based on Case law on decisions on the State of Conservation).
| Theme: | 3.5.9 - Other human activities |
| See for examples Decisions: | 32 COM 7B.41 35 COM 7B.9 38 COM 7B.14 40 COM 7B.86 |
| Threats: | Civil unrest Deliberate destruction of heritage Illegal activities Military training Terrorism War |
The World Heritage Policy Compendium was elaborated thanks to the generous contribution of the Government of Australia.
The World Heritage Policy Compendium On-line tool was developed thanks to the generous contribution of the Government of Korea.
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