Decision 42 COM 7B.94

Cape Floral Region Protected Areas (South Africa) (N 1007bis)

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/18/42.COM/7B,
2. Recalling Decision 39 COM 8B.2, adopted at its 39th session (Bonn, 2015),
3. Welcomes that the governance arrangements have been strengthened through the participation of the Chief Executive Officers of all three management authorities since 2016, to improve the coordination of the Joint Management Committee;
4. Noting that the current budget allocations for the management of the property are reported to be sufficient, requests the State Party to ensure that sufficient funding will continue to be secured for the effective management of the property;
5. Notes with appreciation that some progress has been made towards developing an Environmental Management Framework, which will assess the effectiveness and possible additions to the buffer zone and inform the development of the Spatial Development Framework (SDF);
6. Also noting that protected area Management Plans for all 13 clusters of the property will be completed by 31 December 2019, but considering that a property-wide management structure was identified to be an urgent requirement in 2015, urges the State Party to accelerate the process to develop an Integrated Management Plan for the property to the extent possible;
7. Notes that through stakeholder engagement, the State Party is working to identify land to address housing needs necessitated by a fire outbreak, that affected communities in close proximity to the site; and urges the State Party to inform the World Heritage Centre of any major developments planned in the area in accordance with paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines;
8. Notes with concern the reported emergency plans for water extraction from the Table Mountain Group Aquifer, due to drought conditions in the Western Cape Province, and further notes that the Province is no longer a National Disaster Area; also further notes that the reported emergency plans for water extraction, may have potential impacts on the property’s Outstanding Universal Value (OUV). In the event that such plans are developed, urges the State Party to assess the potential impacts on the OUV of the property; and in all proposed areas adjacent to the property before deciding to go ahead with these plans; and inform the World Heritage Centre of any major developments planned in accordance with paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines;
9. Also requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December 2019, 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 44th session in 2020.