Decision 44 COM 7B.93

Komodo National Park (Indonesia) (N 609)

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
2. Recalling Decision CONF 202 21B.11, adopted at its 26th session (Budapest, 2002),
3. Takes note that an Integrated Tourism Master Plan is being developed and requests the State Party to provide detailed information on how the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property will be safeguarded in the design of the Plan, and how plans to significantly increase tourism at the property reflect the stated intention to move away from mass tourism and can thus ensure the protection of the OUV;
4. Notes with satisfaction the research activities and long-term monitoring of the Komodo dragon, which show a stable population trend, and urges the State Party to continue regular population censuses and implement management measures in the context of proposed tourism increase;
5. Notes with concern the different tourism infrastructure projects undertaken and planned in the property and, also recalling that it should be informed, via the World Heritage Centre, of any major restoration or new construction before making any decision that would be difficult to reverse, in accordance with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines, also requests the State Party to revise the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the tourism infrastructure projects on Rinca Island in line with the IUCN World Heritage Advice Note on Environmental Assessment, and to resubmit it to the World Heritage Centre for review by IUCN as a matter of urgency, in line with Paragraph 118bis of the Operational Guidelines, and to submit further information on other attributed tourism concessions in the property as well as its revised zoning plan;
6. Also urges the State Party to halt all tourism infrastructure projects in and around the property that have the potential to impact on its OUV until the revised EIA is submitted and reviewed by IUCN;
7. Further requests the State Party to invite a joint World Heritage Centre/IUCN Reactive Monitoring mission to the property to assess the impact of ongoing development on the OUV of the property and review its state of conservation;
8. Also notes with concern the lack of operational equipment and technical capacity to manage the property’s marine area, and requests furthermore the State Party to urgently strengthen marine management and law enforcement capacities in the property, with a specific emphasis on controlling illegal fishing activities and boat anchoring, and to allocate a sufficient budget for marine research, monitoring, education and compliance with marine regulations;
9. Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2022, 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 45th session.