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Policy Compendium

DecisionsYesclose
Themes2.2.5.5 - Impact assessmentclose2.7.4.2 - Historic Urban Landscapesclose2.7.4.1 - Generalclose2.2.6.3 - Minor modifications to the boundariesclose2.2.6.2 - Buffer Zonesclose2.2.6.1 - Boundariesclose2.2.5.2 - Legislative, regulatory and contractual measures for protectionclose2.2.2.2 - Specific considerations related to criterion (vi)close2.7.4 - Cultural Landscapesclose2.7.2 - Transboundary and transnational propertiesclose2.7.1 - Cultural, Natural and Mixed Properties close2.2.6 - Boundaries and buffer zonesclose2.2.3 - Authenticityclose2.4 - Upstream Processclose2.3 - Global Strategy for a Representative, Balanced and Credible World Heritage Listclose2 - Policies Regarding CREDIBILITY of the World Heritage Listclose
Select source(s): 0
2 - Policies Regarding CREDIBILITY of the World Heritage List
2.2 - Outstanding Universal Value
2.2.2 - World Heritage criteria
31. “The Committee decided to enter Auschwitz concentration camp on the List as a unique site and to restrict the inscription of other sites of a similar nature.”
Theme: 2.2.2.2 - Specific considerations related to criterion (vi)
Decision: 3 COM XII.46
2 - Policies Regarding CREDIBILITY of the World Heritage List
2.2 - Outstanding Universal Value
(iv) "The authenticity of a cultural property remains an essential criterion."
Theme: 2.2.3 - Authenticity
Decision: 3 COM XI.35
2 - Policies Regarding CREDIBILITY of the World Heritage List
2.2 - Outstanding Universal Value
Synthesis based on relevant Committee decisions

The World Heritage Committee recommends paying particular attention to the conservation of authenticity and to inaccurate reconstructions and the risk of over-interpretation, with regard to restoration and development works, including architectural restorations and of technical historical reconstructions (based on Case law on decisions on Nominations).
Theme: 2.2.3 - Authenticity
See for examples Decisions:  37 COM 8B.41 38 COM 8B.34
2 - Policies Regarding CREDIBILITY of the World Heritage List
2.2 - Outstanding Universal Value
Synthesis based on relevant Committee decisions

The World Heritage Committee encourages the use of traditional materials and skills in restoration works and interventions (based on Case law on decisions on the State of Conservation).
Theme: 2.2.3 - Authenticity
See for examples Decisions:  34 COM 7B.53 38 COM 7B.52 40 COM 7B.41 41 COM 7B.46 43 COM 7A.33 43 COM 7B.76
2 - Policies Regarding CREDIBILITY of the World Heritage List
2.2 - Outstanding Universal Value
2.2.5 - Protection and management

15.c) "[The World Heritage Committee encourages States Parties to] (…) be proactive in relation to development and conservation of World Heritage properties by conducting a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) at the time of nomination to anticipate the impact of any potential development on the Outstanding Universal Value."

Theme: 2.2.5.5 - Impact assessment
Decision: 35 COM 12E
2 - Policies Regarding CREDIBILITY of the World Heritage List
2.2 - Outstanding Universal Value
2.2.6 - Boundaries and buffer zones
7. "[The World Heritage Committee] considers that modifications to boundaries of World Heritage properties that are related to mining activities should be considered through the procedure for significant modifications of boundaries, in accordance with paragraph 165 of the Operational Guidelines, given the potential impact of such projects on Outstanding Universal Value."
Theme: 2.2.6.1 - Boundaries
Decision: 35 COM 8B.46
2 - Policies Regarding CREDIBILITY of the World Heritage List
2.2 - Outstanding Universal Value
2.2.6 - Boundaries and buffer zones
"21. [The World Heritage Committee] (u)rges States Parties, with the support of the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies, to:
a) Incorporate well-designed buffer zones based on a holistic understanding of natural as well as human induced factors affecting the property, supported by reinforcing relevant legal, policy, awareness and incentive mechanisms, into new nominations and where appropriate into existing properties to ensure enhanced protection of World Heritage properties,
b) Place particular emphasis on strategic environmental assessment and impact assessments for potential projects within buffer zones to avoid, negative impacts on OUV from developments and activities in these zones,
c) Develop buffer zone protection and management regimes that optimize the capture and sharing of benefits to communities to support the aspirations of the 2015 Policy for the integration of a Sustainable Development Perspective into the processes of the World Heritage Convention,
d) Ensure buffer zones are supported by appropriate protection and management regimes in line with the property’s OUV, that build connectivity with the wider setting in cultural, environmental and landscape terms."
Theme: 2.2.6.2 - Buffer Zones
Decision: 44 COM 7.2
2 - Policies Regarding CREDIBILITY of the World Heritage List

IX.22 "(…)

2) The Committee stressed the urgent need to establish a representative World Heritage List and considered it imperative to ensure more participation of those States Parties whose heritage is currently underrepresented on the World Heritage List. The Committee requested the Centre and the advisory bodies to actively consult with these States Parties to encourage and support their active participation in the implementation of the Global Strategy for a credible and representative World Heritage List through the concrete regional actions described in the Global Strategy Action Plan adopted by the Committee at its twenty-second session".
Theme: 2.3 - Global Strategy for a Representative, Balanced and Credible World Heritage List
Decision: 22 COM IX1
2 - Policies Regarding CREDIBILITY of the World Heritage List

X.2 "(…) The Committee, in the light of earlier discussions:

- invites States Parties to nominate types of sites presently under-represented on the World Heritage List;
- invites States Parties attending the World Heritage Committee and its Bureau to be represented by both cultural and natural heritage specialists;
- requests States Parties to communicate regularly to the Centre updated addresses of the national institutions primarily responsible for cultural and natural heritage;
- asks the World Heritage Centre to undertake efforts to strengthen the links to natural heritage institutions in States Parties to the Convention;
- requests the Centre to work on an overall global strategy for natural heritage in close cooperation with IUCN and ICOMOS."
Theme: 2.3 - Global Strategy for a Representative, Balanced and Credible World Heritage List
Decision: 19 COM X
2 - Policies Regarding CREDIBILITY of the World Heritage List
1. "(…) [The World Heritage Committee decides to focus on] improving the geographic distribution of properties on the World Heritage List (…)."
Theme: 2.3 - Global Strategy for a Representative, Balanced and Credible World Heritage List
Decision: 27 COM 14
2 - Policies Regarding CREDIBILITY of the World Heritage List
15. "[The World Heritage Committee] (…) recommends that States Parties already well represented on the World Heritage List should exercise restraint in bringing forward new nominations in order to achieve a better balance of the List."
Theme: 2.3 - Global Strategy for a Representative, Balanced and Credible World Heritage List
Decision: 35 COM 12B
2 - Policies Regarding CREDIBILITY of the World Heritage List
9. "[The World Heritage Committee] Invites the Advisory Bodies to engage in effective and constructive dialogue with States Parties in the preparation of Tentative Lists, in the nomination process, including before the publication of recommendations, and post inscription (including monitoring missions), with the aim of achieving more effective credibility, transparency and better implementation of the Convention and Sustainable Development Goals."
Theme: 2.3 - Global Strategy for a Representative, Balanced and Credible World Heritage List
Decision: 43 COM 5E
2 - Policies Regarding CREDIBILITY of the World Heritage List
4. "[The World Heritage Committee] (…) recalls that, in order to be effective, the upstream support should ideally take place at an early stage, preferably at the moment of the preparation or revision of the States Parties’ Tentative Lists."
Theme: 2.4 - Upstream Process
Decision: 41 COM 9A
2 - Policies Regarding CREDIBILITY of the World Heritage List
2.7 - Types of World Heritage properties
4. "[The World Heritage Committee] reiterates that due to the complexity of mixed site nominations and their evaluation, States Parties should ideally seek prior advice from IUCN and ICOMOS, if possible at least two years before a potential nomination is submitted, in compliance with Paragraph 122 of the Operational Guidelines."
Theme: 2.7.1 - Cultural, Natural and Mixed Properties
Decision: 41 COM 9B
2 - Policies Regarding CREDIBILITY of the World Heritage List
2.7 - Types of World Heritage properties

 “II. TRANSBOUNDARY AND TRANSNATIONAL NOMINATIONS

6) [The World Heritage Committee] decides to consider as:

(a) transboundary nomination, only a property jointly nominated as such, in conformity with Article 11.3 of the Convention, by all concerned States Parties having adjacent borders;

(b) transnational nomination, a serial nomination of properties located in the territory of different States Parties, which need not be contiguous and which are nominated with the consent of all States Parties concerned”.

Theme: 2.7.2 - Transboundary and transnational properties
Decision: 7 EXT.COM 4A
2 - Policies Regarding CREDIBILITY of the World Heritage List
2.7 - Types of World Heritage properties

3. "[The World Heritage Committee] aware of the need to specify the submission modalities for the nomination of transboundary or transnational serial properties on the World Heritage List,

4. (…):

a) The States Parties co-authors of a transboundary or transnational serial nomination can choose, amongst themselves and with a common understanding, the State Party which will be bearing this nomination; and

b) This nomination can be registered exclusively within the ceiling of the bearing State Party."

Theme: 2.7.2 - Transboundary and transnational properties
Decision: 29 COM 18A
2 - Policies Regarding CREDIBILITY of the World Heritage List
2.7 - Types of World Heritage properties
2.7.4 - Cultural Landscapes
Synthesis based on relevant Committee decisions

The World Heritage committee recommends addressing landscape surveys and the historic evolution of the landscape, as a holistic reflection of history and cultural traditions and of the interaction between culture and nature, including the way the landscape has been shaped by human practices and natural resources (based on Case law on decisions on Nominations).
Theme: 2.7.4.1 - General
See for examples Decisions:  31 COM 8B.33 31 COM 8B.28
2 - Policies Regarding CREDIBILITY of the World Heritage List
2.7 - Types of World Heritage properties
2.7.4 - Cultural Landscapes

"The World Heritage Committee, (…)

4. Encourages States Parties to integrate the notion of historic urban landscape in nomination proposals and in the elaboration of management plans of properties nominated for inscription on the World Heritage List;

5. Also encourages States Parties to integrate the principles expressed in the Vienna Memorandum into their heritage conservation policies;

6. Requests the Advisory Bodies and the World Heritage Centre to take into account the conservation of the historic urban landscape when reviewing any potential impact on the integrity of an existing World Heritage property, and during the nomination evaluation process of new sites."

Theme: 2.7.4.2 - Historic Urban Landscapes
Decision: 29 COM 5D

The World Heritage Policy Compendium was elaborated thanks to the generous contribution of the Government of Australia.

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