World Heritage Centre

41 COM 5C World Heritage Convention and Sustainable Development

wh-support@unesco.org — Sun, 02 Jul 2017 00:00:00 EST

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/17/41.COM/5C,
Recalling Decisions 36 COM 5C, 38 COM 5D, and 39 COM 5D, and 40 COM 5C, adopted respectively at its 36th (Saint Petersburg, 2012), 38th (Doha, 2014) and 39th (Bonn, 2015) and 40th (Istanbul/UNESCO, 2016) sessions, as well as Resolution 20 GA 13, adopted by the General Assembly at its 20th session (UNESCO, 2015),
Welcomes the follow-up activities and the progress made by the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies in disseminating the “Policy Document for the integration of a sustainable development perspective into the processes of the World Heritage Convention” and mainstreaming it into statutory processes, international policies and operational activities and requests that this effort be pursued;
Reiterates the need to achieve the right balance between environmental, social and economic sustainability, while fully respecting and protecting the Outstanding Universal Value of World Heritage properties;
Underscores the important role and the contribution of the Convention towards achieving Sustainable Development Goal, Target 11.4: “Strengthen efforts to protect and safeguard the world’s cultural and natural heritage”;
Takes note of the support provided by the World Heritage Centre and Advisory Bodies to Members States in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and of the further work anticipated on developing indicators in this regard;
Also welcomes the work by the UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) for monitoring the Sustainable Development Goal, Target 11.4. through an indicator that reflects the total amount per capita each country spends to protect their cultural and natural heritage, and invites UNESCO and all parties to identify and make visible the many ways in which the implementation of the World Heritage Convention contributes to achieving the SDGs, in particular SDG 11 for cultural sites and SDGs 14 and 15 for natural sites;
Calls upon States Parties to ensure that sustainable development principles are mainstreamed into their national processes related to World Heritage, in full respect of the Outstanding Universal Value of World Heritage properties;
Further calls on States Parties to support capacity-building programmes and activities aimed at providing methodologies and tools for integrating heritage conservation into sustainable development frameworks and mainstreaming the Sustainable Development approach in conservation and management activities;
Recalling Resolution 20 GA 13 and Decision 40 COM 12, and in view of the ever increasing urgency to balance sustainable development and implementation of the Convention at the site level, urges the World Heritage Centre in collaboration with the Advisory Bodies to finalize a clear framework of the Policy Compendium for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 42nd session in 2018;
Commends the efforts undertaken by the State Party of Germany in collaboration with the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies concerning the operationalization of the World Heritage – Sustainable Development policy and calls for wider collaboration in consolidating these efforts;
Decides to inscribe an agenda item concerning World Heritage and Sustainable Development at its 43rd session in 2019 and also requests the World Heritage Centre, in cooperation with the Advisory Bodies, to present a progress report in this regard.

43 COM 5C World Heritage Convention and Sustainable Development

wh-support@unesco.org — Sun, 30 Jun 2019 00:00:00 EST

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/19/43.COM/5C,
Recalling Decisions 36 COM 5C, 38 COM 5D, 39 COM 5D, 40 COM 5C and 41 COM 5C adopted respectively at its 36th (Saint Petersburg, 2012), 38th (Doha, 2014), 39th (Bonn, 2015), 40th (Istanbul/UNESCO, 2016) and 41st (Krakow, 2017) sessions, as well as Resolution 20 GA 13, adopted by the General Assembly at its 20th session (UNESCO, 2015),
Welcomes the follow-up activities and the progress made so far in mainstreaming the “Policy Document for the integration of a sustainable development perspective into the processes of the World Heritage Convention” (WH-SDP) into the activities of the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies and into the processes of the Convention;
Recalling that the WH-SDP stipulates that all dimensions of sustainable development should apply to natural, cultural and mixed properties in their diversity, and that sustainable development is underpinned by good governance frameworks, requests the States Parties to take a systematic and holistic approach to mainstreaming the WH-SDP into their national and local policies, processes, and initiatives related to the implementation of the Convention and to development in and around World Heritage properties;
Invites the States Parties undertaking activities towards the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development to include synergies with the WH-SDP, whenever possible, in order to tap into the potential of the World Heritage Convention to contribute to sustainable development;
Encourages the World Heritage Centre, in cooperation with the Advisory Bodies and other relevant partners, to reflect on interlinkages between the implementation of the WH-SDP and the UN Sustainable Development Goals as well as other relevant global agreements, such as those related to climate change and disaster risk reduction, and related World Heritage strategies and policies that could inform activities, tools, guidance, and communications related to sustainable development;
Also requests the World Heritage Centre pursue, within the available resources, the development of activities including policies, tools, operational activities, guidance and communication towards operationalising the WH-SDP and supporting the States Parties in its implementation;
Calls on States Parties and other potential partners to contribute financially or through in-kind support to activities towards mainstreaming and operationalising the WH-SDP;
Decides to inscribe an agenda item concerning World Heritage and Sustainable Development at its 45th session in 2021, and finally requests the World Heritage Centre, in cooperation with the Advisory Bodies, to present a progress report in this regard.

43 COM 5D Priority Africa, Sustainable Development and World Heritage

wh-support@unesco.org — Sun, 30 Jun 2019 00:00:00 EST

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/19/43.COM/5D,
Recalling Decisions 36 COM 5C, 38 COM 5D, 39 COM 5D, 40 COM 5C, 41 COM 5C, and 42 COM 17 adopted respectively at its 36th (Saint Petersburg, 2012), 38th (Doha, 2014), 39th (Bonn, 2015), 40th (Istanbul/UNESCO, 2016), 41st (Krakow, 2017) and 42nd (Manama, 2018) sessions respectively, as well as Resolution 20 GA 13, adopted by the General Assembly at its 20th session (UNESCO, 2015),
Takes note of the African States Parties’ unique biodiversity and richness and their immense wealth of cultural heritage and local knowledge that have come down to humanity so far, and that must be conserved and passed on to future generations;
Welcomes with appreciation the activities of the World Heritage Centre along with Field Offices, the Advisory Bodies, the African World Heritage Fund (AWHF) and other partners in raising awareness and building capacities around various issues related to World Heritage and sustainable development in Africa as well as the efforts towards developing policy and assessment tools and requests that these efforts be pursued;
Recognizes the specifically delicate task of balancing World Heritage and Sustainable Development by the least developed countries, notably of the African region, given that it is faced with a disproportionally higher level of poverty globally;
Further recognizes the need to employ innovative and transformative solutions for reconciling World Heritage and Sustainable Development that will take into account the nature, complexity and specificity of socio-economic constraints that these less developed countries continue to face;
Takes note of the Position Paper on World Heritage and Sustainable Development in Africa adopted in October 2018 by the African Union through resolution STC/YCS-3/MIN/Report 67, as acknowledged in paragraph 20 d) of the Document WHC/19/43.COM/6;
Recalls its Decision 37 COM 7 (Part III) which urges all States Parties to the World Heritage Convention and leading industry stakeholders, to respect the International Council on Mining & Metals (ICMM) “No-go” commitment by not permitting extractive activities within World Heritage properties, and by making every effort to ensure that extractive companies located in their territory cause no damage to World Heritage properties, in line with Article 6 of the Convention;
Reiterates the need to integrate the protection of the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of World Heritage properties with inclusive and sustainable development needs through the effective implementation of the World Heritage Sustainable Development Policy (WH-SDP) aligned with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development; the protection of the Outstanding Universal Value should be furthermore ensured by including Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA), Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA), in national and international development projects, in accordance with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines;
Calls upon the African States Parties to strengthen governance of World Heritage properties and mainstream the WH-SDP principles in national and local conservation and management activities in and around World Heritage properties and processes related to World Heritage in Africa, and to mainstream them in national and local plans for development;
Further calls upon African States Parties to focus their development efforts to benefit local communities, including them in the decision-making, and building on their knowledge and needs with progressive and proactive conservation of natural and cultural heritage; and to create enabling environments for innovative solutions inclusive of green and blue economies while progressing towards other SDGs;
Calls upon all States Parties to the World Heritage Convention as well as international agencies and development partners, international finance institutions, industries, private sector, and other partners including multi and bi-lateral partners to join in ensuring policy coherence and harness synergies in multilateral agreements, investments, and protocols. These include the UN 2030 Agenda, and the “Africa 2063” Agenda as well as the WH-SDP to deliver multiple benefits, with inclusive governance mechanisms that bring all round benefits to the local communities in and around World Heritage properties;
Thanks the States Parties and partners who have generously contributed to strengthening sustainable development in Africa and invites all States Parties to the World Heritage Convention to support, financially and through other means, awareness-raising and capacity-reinforcement programmes at various levels as well as activities aimed at developing guidance, innovative solutions, tools, mechanisms, and strategies for integrating heritage conservation into sustainable development policies and programmes and mainstreaming the sustainable development approach in conservation and management activities in Africa;
Also invites the Secretariat and Advisory Bodies, in collaboration with African States Parties, the African World Heritage Fund (AWHF) and other stakeholders to spearhead research into innovative solutions for sustainable development, providing measures at the operational level, that guide and coordinate the efforts of the African States Parties to the World Heritage Convention for the conservation of OUV in World Heritage properties, both cultural and natural, and their contribution to the sustainable development of local communities in particular; and also to establish a platform of good practices in integrating heritage conservation with sustainable development for African World Heritage properties;
Requests the World Heritage Centre to present, at its 44th session in 2020, a progress report on Priority Africa, Sustainable Development and World Heritage.

45 COM 5D The World Heritage Convention and Sustainable Development

wh-support@unesco.org — Sun, 10 Sep 2023 00:00:00 EST

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/23/45.COM/5D,
Recalling Decision 44 COM 5D adopted at its extended 44th session (Fuzhou/online, 2021), as well as Resolution 20 GA 13 adopted by the General Assembly at its 20th session (UNESCO, 2015),
Also recalling Decision 35 COM 12E that the World Heritage Committee specifically encourages the effective and equitable involvement and participation of indigenous peoples and local communities in decision-making, monitoring and evaluation of World Heritage properties and the respect of indigenous peoples’ rights in nominating, managing and reporting on World Heritage properties in their own territories;
Recalls that the UNESCO Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity (2001) designates that the defence of cultural diversity implies a commitment to human rights that is also included in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), and also recalls the UNESCO Policy on Engaging with Indigenous Peoples that underlines UNESCO’s commitment to promote the human rights-based approach in the implementation of its normative instruments including the 1972 Convention;
Welcomes the progress made so far in the development of tools to support the implementation of the “Policy Document for the integration of a sustainable development perspective into the processes of the World Heritage Convention” (WH-SDP) into activities of the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies, including through the World Heritage Leadership Programme at national and local levels and encourages States Parties to support their development and implementation in and around World Heritage properties, also welcomes the synergies evident in the consolidated report of the Third Member State Consultation on the implementation of the 2011 Recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape (2011 Recommendation), with the WH-SDP in view of advancing sustainable urban development and climate resilience in and around World Heritage properties in cities and settlements;
Acknowledges the importance of practical strategies and best practices to support the operationalization of the WH-SDP as well as capacity building for it, and invites States Parties to support the Secretariat’s and the Advisory Bodies’ efforts to gather, analyze, and share information on good practices and innovative solutions integrating heritage conservation with sustainable development;
Also takes note of the progress made towards the collection of quality data related to cultural and natural heritage in line with the MONDIACULT 2022 Declaration, including with the implementation of the UNESCO Culture|2030 Indicators to support evidence-based policies and actions in line with the 1972 World Heritage Convention;
Notes with appreciation the collaboration of UNESCO and the Advisory Bodies with the International Indigenous Peoples Forum on World Heritage (IIPFWH), welcomes their intent to co-organise with UNESCO, working with the Advisory Bodies and other partners, in early 2024, an international expert workshop on the recognition and respect for the heritage values of indigenous peoples within the framework of the World Heritage Convention and invites States Parties to contribute financially towards this event and requests the Secretariat to include a report on it at its 46th session;
Requests the States Parties to implement the WH-SDP systematically in and around World Heritage properties, ensuring that sustainable development objectives are mainstreamed into their management plans and conservation actions for the World Heritage properties, and to integrate heritage conservation into national and local plans, policies, processes to advance sustainable development;
Also requests the World Heritage Centre to continue to pursue, within the available resources, the development of activities including policies, tools, guidance, and communication towards operationalising the WH-SDP supporting States Parties in its implementation while protecting the Outstanding Universal Value of World Heritage properties;
Calls on States Parties and other potential partners to contribute financially or through in-kind support to activities towards mainstreaming and operationalising the WH-SDP including the development of tools and guidance by the World Heritage Centre with the Advisory Bodies;
Requests furthermore the World Heritage Centre, in cooperation with the Advisory Bodies, to present a progress report in this regard at its 47th session.