Decision 46 COM 7A.56

Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra (Indonesia) (N 1167)

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/24/46.COM/7A.Add.2,
2. Recalling Decision 45 COM 7A.15 adopted at its extended 45th session (Riyadh, 2023),
3. Notes with appreciation the continued efforts by the State Party to implement the corrective measures towards achieving the Desired state of conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger (DSOCR), including forest restoration activities, addressing encroachment, strengthening community engagement in ecosystem restoration, continuing species monitoring and patrolling efforts, and the reaffirmed absence of mining concessions, exploration permits or new roads within the property;
4. Requests the State Party to continue implementing the corrective measures and to submit a detailed report on the progress, including an overview of:
   1. The extent to which the DSOCR indicators on forest cover, population trend data for key species of fauna, road development, mining, boundary demarcation, law enforcement and management of the wider landscape have been achieved,
   2. The actions needed to achieve the remainder of the DSOCR indicators to enable the eventual removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger, and
   3. An action plan and timeline to implement the above;
5. Also notes with appreciation the continued moratorium on new forest concessions and restoration activities, and also requests the State Party to report on any forest loss within the property, and to prioritize restoration activities in ecologically sensitive areas, wildlife corridors and roadsides;
6. Further requests the State Party to implement a systematic survey for the four key species (Sumatran tiger, rhino, elephant and orangutan) using standard replicable methods to enable a property-wide analysis of population status and monitor trends over time;
7. Welcomes the continued commitment to not approve new road developments within the property and to mitigate the effects of existing roads, takes note that no request for the construction or improvement of the Muara Situlen-Gelombang road through Gunung Leuser National Park (GLNP) has been submitted and would not be approved, and requests furthermore the State Party to ensure full implementation of the mitigation measures for the Karo-Langkat road;
8. Notes the submission of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) reports for the proposed upgrade of Sanggi-Bengkunat road segment and widening of the Bukit Tapan-Sungai Penuh road segment within the property, reiterates its request for the State Party to clarify the current status of these projects, and requests furthermore the State Party not to proceed with these projects, given the potential impacts of forest clearance and increasing habitat fragmentation, and that, based on the submitted EIAs, proposed mitigation measures are not clearly demonstrated to result in minimal or no impact on the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property;
9. Noting the proximity of the proposed Trans-Sumatran Highway to the GLNP, requests furthermore the State Party to ensure that the assessment of potential impacts also ensures there would be no impact on the OUV of the property, and to ensure that all potential development proposals are assessed for their potential impacts on the OUV in line with the Guidance and Toolkit for Impact Assessments in a World Heritage Context;
10. Also welcomes the focus of the Ministerial Decree on ‘Coordination Team of Management and Preparing of Strategic Environmental Assessment for the Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra (TRHS) and Komodo National Park Natural World Heritage’ on accelerating efforts to remove the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger, optimizing and synergizing its management, as well as preparing a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) for the property and urges the State Party to implement these efforts, especially completion of the SEA in line with the aforementioned Guidance and international best practice standards;
11. Further notes with appreciation that there continues to be no mining within the property and that the State Party has rejected several dam proposals, however, also reiterates its request to the State Party to provide information on four hydropower dams (Soraya Dam, Jambo Aye Dam, Kluet Dam and Samarkilang Dam), mining projects located within the Leuser Ecosystem in the vicinity of GLNP, and the spatial plan to manage the Leuser Ecosystem;
12. Further welcomes the State Party’s commitment to prepare a Significant Boundary Modification for the property, requests furthermore that this process be informed by a clear identification and assessment of the OUV based on the Statement of OUV and be in line with the recommendations of previous Committee Decisions and Reactive Monitoring missions, and encourages the State Party to seek further technical guidance from the World Heritage Centre and IUCN, as required;
13. Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2025, 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 47th session;
14. Decides to continue to apply the Reinforced Monitoring Mechanism to the property;
15. Also decides to retain Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra (Indonesia) on the List of World Heritage in Danger.