Decision 38 COM 8B.11

Tectono-volcanic ensemble of the Chaîne des Puys and Limagne Fault (France) (refered nomination)

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Documents WHC-14/38.COM/8B and WHC-14/38.COM/INF.8B2,
2. Refers the nomination of the Tectono-volcanic ensemble of the Chaîne des Puys and Limagne Fault, France, back to the State Party in order to allow it to:
   1. specify the tectonic and structural elements interacting with monogenetic volcanism in this geological scale model, which are outstanding examples representing major stages of Earth's history on which is based outstanding universal value;
   2. to provide additional information about the management of the site in relation to the public and private local stakeholders;
3. Notes the deep divergence in the scientific interpretations raised following the evaluation of this nomination;
4. Recommends to the State Party and IUCN to deepen the dialogue, in relation with the specialist Earth Science organisations identified in point C.12 of Annex 6 of the Operational Guidelines;
5. Requests the State Party to invite a mission to implement the upstream process proposed in Decision 38 COM 9A for the evaluation of complex nominations;
6. Recalling Decision 37 COM 8B.15 adopted at its 37th session (Phnom Penh, 2013), reiterates its request to IUCN to revisit and update its thematic study on “World Heritage Volcanoes” to clearly articulate a short and appropriately balanced list of the strongest remaining volcanic sites with potential for inscription on the World Heritage List, and also requests IUCN to revise its thematic study on geological sites, the “Geological World Heritage: A Global Framework” (2005) to refine the proposed 13 themes, articulate the threshold of Outstanding Universal Value, and clarify the difference between the criterion (viii) of the World Heritage and Geoparks status.