Policy Compendium
Themes3 - Policies Regarding CONSERVATION of World Heritage Propertiesclose3.1 - Protection, conservation and management of World Heritage propertiesclose3.2 - Monitoring close3.3 - Impact assessmentsclose3.5 - Factors affecting propertiesclose3.7 - Sustainable developmentclose3.2.1 - Generalclose3.2.2 - Periodic Reportingclose3.2.3 - Reactive Monitoringclose3.2.4 - List of World Heritage in Dangerclose3.2.5 - Deletion of a World Heritage property from the Listclose3.5.3 - Utilities or service infrastructureclose3.5.4 - Pollution close3.5.5 - Biological resource use/modification close3.5.6 - Physical resource extractionclose3.5.7 - Local conditions affecting the fabric close3.5.9 - Other human activities close3.5.10 - Climate change and severe weather eventsclose3.5.11 - Sudden ecological or geological events close3.5.12 - Invasive/alien species or hyper-abundant species close
3 - Policies Regarding CONSERVATION of World Heritage Properties
"30. [The World Heritage Committee] notes that the pressures on historic urban areas arising from inappropriate or inconsistent development controls, rapid, uncontrolled and planned development, including large development projects, additions that are incompatible in their volume, mass tourism, as well as the accumulated impact of incremental changes have continued within numerous World Heritage properties and in their buffer zones and settings, and considers that these present potential and actual major threats to the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of properties, including their integrity and authenticity, as well as increasing their vulnerability to disasters, including those resulting from climate change;
(…)
34. [The World Heritage Committee] (s)tresses the importance of carrying out Heritage Impact Assessments to evaluate and thereby avoid or manage potential threats to the OUV of the property arising from new urban development projects."
(…)
34. [The World Heritage Committee] (s)tresses the importance of carrying out Heritage Impact Assessments to evaluate and thereby avoid or manage potential threats to the OUV of the property arising from new urban development projects."
| Theme: | 3.3 - Impact assessments |
| Decision: | 44 COM 7.2 |
| Threats: | Commercial development Housing Industrial areas Interpretative and visitation facilities Major visitor accommodation and associated infrastructure |
3 - Policies Regarding CONSERVATION of World Heritage Properties
37. "[The World Heritage Committee] stresses the necessity for HIAs and Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) to be proportionate to the scope and scale of projects, with simpler assessments being undertaken for smaller projects and Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEAs) for very large projects, and the necessity for assessments to be undertaken in a timely fashion and submitted to the World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies (…)."
| Theme: | 3.3 - Impact assessments |
| Decision: | 42 COM 7 |
3 - Policies Regarding CONSERVATION of World Heritage Properties
Synthesis based on relevant Committee decisions
The World Heritage Committee requests the States Parties to ensure that development is not permitted if it would impact individually or cumulatively on the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property (based on Case law on decisions on the State of Conservation).
The World Heritage Committee requests the States Parties to ensure that development is not permitted if it would impact individually or cumulatively on the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property (based on Case law on decisions on the State of Conservation).
| Theme: | 3.3 - Impact assessments |
| See for examples Decisions: | 36 COM 7B.8 38 COM 7B.69 38 COM 7B.62 39 COM 7B.15 40 COM 7B.105 41 COM 7B.42 43 COM 7B.4 44 COM 8B.38 |
3 - Policies Regarding CONSERVATION of World Heritage Properties
Synthesis based on relevant Committee decisions
The World Heritage Committee requests the States Parties to provide, in accordance with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines, detailed information on the planning and design of proposed and on-going projects, which may impact on the visual integrity of the World Heritage property or its immediate and wider setting, and undertake a visual impact study, for review by the Advisory Bodies, prior to approval and implementation and before making any decisions that would be difficult to reverse (Based on Case law on decisions on the State of Conservation).
The World Heritage Committee requests the States Parties to provide, in accordance with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines, detailed information on the planning and design of proposed and on-going projects, which may impact on the visual integrity of the World Heritage property or its immediate and wider setting, and undertake a visual impact study, for review by the Advisory Bodies, prior to approval and implementation and before making any decisions that would be difficult to reverse (Based on Case law on decisions on the State of Conservation).
| Theme: | 3.3 - Impact assessments |
| See for examples Decisions: | 27 COM 7B.67 28 COM 15B.74 28 COM 15B.71 31 COM 7B.94 31 COM 7B.90 31 COM 7B.89 32 COM 7B.72 33 COM 7B.113 35 COM 7B.96 37 COM 7B.96 38 COM 7B.42 41 COM 7B.43 41 COM 7B.23 |
3 - Policies Regarding CONSERVATION of World Heritage Properties
3.5 - Factors affecting properties
17. "[The World Heritage Committee, noting] with significant concern that an increasing number of properties are facing potential threats from major dam projects, considers that the construction of dams with large reservoirs within the boundaries of World Heritage properties is incompatible with their World Heritage status, and urges States Parties to ensure that the impacts from dams that could affect properties located upstream or downstream within the same river basin are rigorously assessed in order to avoid impacts on the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV)."
| Theme: | 3.5.3 - Utilities or service infrastructure |
| Decision: | 40 COM 7 |
| Threats: | Localised utilities Major linear utilities Non-renewable energy facilities Renewable energy facilities Water infrastructure |
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 strengthen the protection of the immediate and wider setting of properties for addressing the impact of wind turbines, and to identify a wind turbine exclusion zone, based on the potential visual impact on the components of the property (based on Case law on decisions on the State of Conservation).
The World Heritage Committee recommends to strengthen the protection of the immediate and wider setting of properties for addressing the impact of wind turbines, and to identify a wind turbine exclusion zone, based on the potential visual impact on the components of the property (based on Case law on decisions on the State of Conservation).
| Theme: | 3.5.3 - Utilities or service infrastructure |
| See for examples Decisions: | 32 COM 7B.118 34 COM 7B.83 36 COM 7B.74 41 COM 7B.45 41 COM 8B.19 |
| Threats: | Localised utilities Major linear utilities Non-renewable energy facilities Renewable energy facilities Water infrastructure |
3 - Policies Regarding CONSERVATION of World Heritage Properties
3.5 - Factors affecting properties
Synthesis based on relevant Committee decisions
The World Heritage Committee requests to conduct an adequate environmental impact study for the power transmission lines, before any decision is taken (based on Case law on decisions on the State of Conservation).
The World Heritage Committee requests to conduct an adequate environmental impact study for the power transmission lines, before any decision is taken (based on Case law on decisions on the State of Conservation).
| Theme: | 3.5.3 - Utilities or service infrastructure |
| See for examples Decisions: | 21 BUR IVB.33 25 BUR V.126-127 37 COM 7B.79 38 COM 7B.59 |
| Threats: | Localised utilities Major linear utilities Non-renewable energy facilities Renewable energy facilities Water infrastructure |
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
Synthesis based on relevant Committee decisions
Synthesis based on relevant Committee decisions
The World Heritage Committee considers it is crucial to ensure the maintenance of ecological connectivity between the property’s component parts, by strengthening and improving measures to ensure consistency and greater functional linkages between component sites of a property and its surrounding, and to develop appropriate measures to minimize the effects of any activity on ecological connectivity and/or ensure its restoration (based on case law on decisions on State of Conservation and Nomination).
Synthesis based on relevant Committee decisions
The World Heritage Committee considers it is crucial to ensure the maintenance of ecological connectivity between the property’s component parts, by strengthening and improving measures to ensure consistency and greater functional linkages between component sites of a property and its surrounding, and to develop appropriate measures to minimize the effects of any activity on ecological connectivity and/or ensure its restoration (based on case law on decisions on State of Conservation and Nomination).
| Theme: | 3.5.5 - Biological resource use/modification |
| See for examples Decisions: | 35 COM 8B.9 41 COM 7B.37 43 COM 7A.8 43 COM 8B.10 44 COM 7B.175 44 COM 7B.174 44 COM 7B.114 |
3 - Policies Regarding CONSERVATION of World Heritage Properties
3.5 - Factors affecting properties
Synthesis based on relevant Committee decisions
The World Heritage Committee encourages States Parties to ensure that no commercial logging can be permitted within the property/to ban all commercial logging (based on Case law on decisions on the State of Conservation).
The World Heritage Committee encourages States Parties to ensure that no commercial logging can be permitted within the property/to ban all commercial logging (based on Case law on decisions on the State of Conservation).
| Theme: | 3.5.5 - Biological resource use/modification |
| See for examples Decisions: | 37 COM 7B.26 38 COM 7A.45 41 COM 7A.19 41 COM 7B.4 41 COM 7B.1 |
| Threats: | Aquaculture Commercial hunting Commercial wild plant collection Crop production Fishing/collecting aquatic resources Forestry /wood production Land conversion Livestock farming / grazing of domesticated animals Subsistence hunting Subsistence wild plant collection |
3 - Policies Regarding CONSERVATION of World Heritage Properties
3.5 - Factors affecting properties
Synthesis based on relevant Committee decisions
The World Heritage Committee requests to undertake research to determine the effects and impact from existing resource use, including fishing activities, grazing and collection of medicinal plants on the OUV of the property and to work with communities and to fully involve local resource users to promote sustainable resource uses and practices (based on Case law on decisions on the State of Conservation).
The World Heritage Committee requests to undertake research to determine the effects and impact from existing resource use, including fishing activities, grazing and collection of medicinal plants on the OUV of the property and to work with communities and to fully involve local resource users to promote sustainable resource uses and practices (based on Case law on decisions on the State of Conservation).
| Theme: | 3.5.5 - Biological resource use/modification |
| See for examples Decisions: | 38 COM 7B.84 38 COM 7B.62 40 COM 7B.85 41 COM 7B.17 41 COM 7B.15 43 COM 7B.8 |
| Threats: | Aquaculture Commercial hunting Commercial wild plant collection Crop production Fishing/collecting aquatic resources Forestry /wood production Land conversion Livestock farming / grazing of domesticated animals Subsistence hunting Subsistence wild plant collection |
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 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
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
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 |
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