Decision 40 COM 7B.69

Iguazu National Park (Argentina) (N 303)

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/16/40.COM/7B,
2. Recalling Decision 38 COM 7B.31, adopted at its 38th session (Doha, 2014),
3. Welcomes the information regarding the ongoing cooperation on the ground between Iguazú National Park (Argentina) and the contiguous Iguaçu National Park (Brazil);
4. Also welcomes the signature of the letter of intent between Administración de Parques Nacionales de Argentina, ICMBio, the Iguaçu National Park in Brazil and the Iguazú National Park in Argentina, on 7 June 2016, that confirmed the resolve of the parties to strengthen their collaborative efforts and to examine modalities of improving cooperation between the two National Parks;
5. Noting that within the legal and institutional systems in each country, options for a formal high-level agreement might be limited, requests the States Parties of Argentina and Brazil to develop a roadmap for formalizing transboundary cooperation, including options for formal agreements at different levels and other mechanisms, and to submit it, by 1 December 2017, to the World Heritage Centre;
6. Encourages the State Party to continue its efforts to monitor key species and to increase its cooperation in this regard with the State Party of Brazil;
7. Notes with concern the information provided by the State Party regarding the extension of the National Route 101 and also requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, for review by IUCN, detailed information on this project, and to ensure that activities associated with the road extension are not permitted to proceed until an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) has been undertaken, including an assessment of the impacts on the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property and the OUV of the contiguous property of Iguaçu National Park in Brazil, in accordance with IUCN’s World Heritage Advice Note on Environmental Assessment, and has been reviewed by the World Heritage Centre and IUCN;
8. Further requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December 2017, an updated report on the state of conservation of the property and the implementation of the above, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 42nd session in 2018.