Decision 38 COM 7B.78

Virgin Komi Forests (Russian Federation) (N 719)

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC-14/38.COM/7B,
2. Recalling Decision 37 COM 7B.24, adopted at its 37th session (Phnom Penh, 2013),
3. Regrets that the State Party has reversed neither the boundary changes which removed the legal protection of four areas within the property nor the 19.9 square km gold mining concession and has not revoked or frozen mining exploitation licences granted inside the property as requested by the Committee at its 35th and 36th sessions, reiterates its position that mining activities are not compatible with World Heritage status, and urges the State Party to immediately halt all activities associated with gold mining in the property;
4. Takes note of the August 2013 decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation which declared inoperative the order of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Ecology on approval of the Regulations about “Yugyd Va” National Park”, thereby confirming that the original boundaries of the national park, which coincide with the boundaries of the northern component of the property, remain valid;
5. Reiterates its request to the State Party to implement the following measures:
   1. Revoke or freeze the exploration and exploitation licenses already granted,
   2. Reverse the boundary changes made to Yugyd Va National Park;
6. Notes that the State Party had submitted a re-nomination of the property proposing significant boundary modifications, which was incomplete and was therefore not transmitted for evaluation;
7. Considers that any resumption of mining activities inside the property would provide the basis for immediate inscription on the List of World Heritage in Danger, in line with Paragraph 180 of the Operational Guidelines;
8. Requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2015, a detailed report, including a 1-page executive summary, on the state of conservation of the property and on the implementation of the above requests, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 39th session in 2015.