Decision 38 COM 7B.80

Giant’s Causeway and Causeway Coast (United-Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland) (N 369)

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC-14/38.COM/7B,
2. Recalling Decision 37 COM 7B.28, adopted at its 37th session (Phnom Penh, 2013),
3. Notes the information provided by the State Party that the majority of the recommendations from the 2013 IUCN advisory mission are being implemented;
4. Reiterates its request to the State Party to consider, in consultation with the World Heritage Centre and IUCN, potential modifications and alternatives to the golf resort development project to avoid potential adverse impacts;
5. Expresses concern that a petroleum exploration license was awarded in February 2011, which overlaps with the property, and that the State Party did not inform the Committee as required by paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines;
6. Also notes the confirmation provided by the State Party that no exploratory works have taken place within the property to date, nor that any planning applications for such work within the property have been submitted, and urges the State Party to ensure that no exploration activities will take place within the boundaries of the property and that any exploration activities outside the property do not have an adverse impact on its Outstanding Universal Value;
7. Reiterates its position that oil and gas exploration and exploitation are incompatible with World Heritage status, and also urges the State Party to exclude the property from the petroleum exploration license;
8. Takes note of the State Party’s intention to submit a proposal for a boundary modification of the property, and strongly encourages the State Party to ensure that any planned modifications of the property’s boundaries would not result in a further overlap between the petroleum exploration license and the property;
9. Requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December 2015, an updated report, including a 1-page executive summary, on the state of conservation of the property, including on the implementation of actions outlined above, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 40th session in 2016.