Decision 42 COM 7B.25

Curonian Spit (Lithuania, Russian Federation) (C 994)

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/18/42.COM/7B,
2. Recalling Decision 40 COM 7B.53, adopted at its 40th session (Istanbul, 2016),
3. Welcomes the two States Parties’ efforts in addressing the property’s current conservation issues;
4. Taking note of the commitment of the State Party of Lithuania concerning the completion the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the deepening of the navigation canal and a reconstruction of Klaipèda Port by the end of 2018;
5. Reminding the State Party of Lithuania that the Reactive Monitoring mission of January 2015 concluded that the proposed construction of a deep sea port has the potential to impact upon the attributes of the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property, considers that if the enlargement of the existing channel area does not exceed the current port borders, the project may be consistent with the OUV of the property; and requests the State Party to address all potential impacts through EIAs and Heritage Impact Assessments (HIAs), in conformity with the ICOMOS Guidance on HIAs for Cultural World Heritage Properties and with IUCN World Heritage Advice Note on Environmental Assessment, with a specific section focusing on the potential impact of the project on the OUV of the property, which should be submitted to the World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies before any decision is made;
6. Also requests the State Party of Lithuania to submit the General Plan of Klaipėda Port territory to the World Heritage Centre before it is adopted and any irreversible decisions are made regarding its implementation, in line with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines;
7. Further requests that HIAs are undertaken for a new construction of the Sea Therapy Centre, designing works for the small boats and yacht harbor in Juodkrantė, as well as a high-voltage line-cabling project before any decisions are taken, in order to clearly define potential impacts on the attributes of OUV;
8. Requests furthermore the two States Parties to address any remaining recommendations of the 2015 Reactive Monitoring mission, particularly, preparation of a capacity development strategy, a construction policy for the shores and fore dunes, improved processes for conflict resolution, consideration of appropriate buffer zones and development of an education and information strategy;
9. Notes with satisfaction that there is currently no proposal for the construction of a suspension bridge from Klaipėda across the lagoon to the Spit;
10. Although noting the two States Parties wish to prepare two separate Management Plans to reflect different management systems, nevertheless urges the States Parties to integrate these plans with agreed over-arching strategies, to undertake HIAs on the OUV of the whole property, not just national components, and to establish a system of inter-institutional and international (transboundary) cooperation in order to oversee the coordinated implementation of shared strategies;
11. Finally requests the States Parties to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December 2020, a joint updated report on the state of conservation of the property and the implementation of the above, for examination by the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies.