Decision 47 COM 7B.6

Komodo National Park (Indonesia)

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/25/47.COM/7B,
2. Recalling Decision 45 COM 7B.15, adopted at its extended 45th session (Riyadh, 2023),
3. Notes with appreciation that various tourism-related measures are being planned and implemented including a co-financing commitment for the 2024-2029 GEF/UNDP IN-FLORES project on the Komodo dragon, and requests the State Party to report on progress and implementation in relation to managing tourism pressures on the property and its Outstanding Universal Value (OUV);
4. Takes note that the Integrated Tourism Master Plan for Komodo National Park and Labuan Bajo Flores (ITMP) has been finalised as the policy framework to ensure that tourism development in Komodo National Park (KNP), Labuan Bajo and surrounding areas is carried out sustainably, and that a Presidential Regulation concerning the Labuan Bajo National Tourism Destination Master Plan 2024-2044 is being finalised by adopting the ITMP;
5. Welcomes the completion of a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) for the property including on tourism development projects in Labuan Bajo and surrounding areas, including existing tourism concessions within KNP, to inform planning and decision making for the property, as well as the State Party’s assurances that tourism development will be conducted sustainably and that any potential environmental or social impacts on the OUV will be mitigated;
6. Notes with concern however that the SEA highlights various potential impacts of the ITMP on the OUV of the property, specifically regarding proposed tourism services and infrastructure within the property, including the five already issued business licences within KNP, and also requests the State Party to implement the findings of the SEA to inform decision making that ensures a sustainable tourism approach for the property and its wider setting, which protects the OUV, and that no proposed developments are approved that would negatively impact the OUV;
7. Also recalling its concern regarding the 2020 Ministerial decree exempting tourism infrastructure within KNP from Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) requirements, and the State Party’s subsequent confirmation that EIAs for individual projects will be undertaken, reiterates its request for the State Party to:
   1. Ensure that all proposed development projects, including related to the five already issued business licences, are appropriately assessed for their potential impact on the OUV in line with the Guidance and Toolkit on Impact Assessments in a World Heritage Context, prior to making any decision that would be difficult to reverse, including undertaking consultations with relevant rightsholders and stakeholders prior to the approval and construction of any project,
   2. Ensure that no concessions or development projects are approved without an appropriate assessment and that no approval is issued for projects that would have a negative impact on the OUV;
8. Also notes the assurances that current and future zoning adjustments will not adversely affect the OUV of the property, and also reiterates its request for the State Party to review whether the current zoning and resulting tourism development is adequate to ensure the protection status and the OUV of the property and submit the results to the World Heritage Centre for review by IUCN;
9. Also notes with appreciation that the Komodo dragon population remains stable, and reiterates its request for the State Party to continue regular population monitoring and implement management measures that ensure the long-term protection of the species, especially in the context of tourism expansion;
10. Further notes with appreciation the State Party’s commitment to strengthening marine management and ensuring resource allocation, and urges the State Party to continue strengthening such measures, including to address liveaboard and cruise ship regulation, and revenue generation for management;
11. Also welcomes the implementation of an official stakeholder engagement forum including local communities, and strengthening of inclusive and participatory decision-making for the conservation of the property;
12. Further notes the Retrospective Inventory process clarification that the boundaries of the property should encompass the offshore island groups and not the buffer zone or the reserves on Flores Island in line with the IUCN Evaluation at the time of inscription, and further requests the State Party to provide a map of the property, as inscribed, following the current cartographic standards, including only the offshore island groups and surrounding marine areas;
13. Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December 2026, 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 49th session.