Renewable energy development and impact assessment in a World Heritage context

This part of the guidance provides impact assessment and heritage practitioners with an overview of the process for assessing the impacts of wind and solar energy and transmission infrastructure projects associated with World Heritage properties. It is also of interest to site managers and heritage institutions who may be responsible for the commissioning and review of such impact assessments, and to support decision makers.

The advice presented in this section includes overall provisions and requirements and serves to complement the Guidance and Toolkit for Impact Assessments in a World Heritage Context (Guidance and Toolkit) as well as national and regional guidance documents related to the assessment of impacts resulting from renewable energy projects on heritage values. Readers are thus strongly encouraged to consult the Guidance and Toolkit before conducting any World Heritage related impact assessments.
For the terminology used in this part of the guidance, please refer to the ‘Glossary’ of the Guidance and Toolkit.

• Why is it important to assess the impacts of renewable energy projects in a World Heritage context? expand_more

  Impact assessment aims to ensure that the potential negative and positive impacts of a planned or proposed renewable energy project are understood both by the developers throughout the planning process and by the decision makers during the permitting process, and can be mitigated or enhanced, or alternatives identified. This is also a requirement under the World Heritage Convention. The impact assessment process should be used to understand the potential impact of a renewable energy project before any commitments are made and also ensure that its steps and results are used to improve the planning and design of renewable energy projects and other developments. The main objective of the impact assessment process is to avoid any negative impact on the Outstanding Universal Value of concerned World Heritage properties, while providing opportunities for better project design and decision-making.

  The impact assessment process is well-established worldwide and serves as a tool to identify the potential consequences of proposed actions on the environment or on specific heritage values, including the Outstanding Universal Value of World Heritage properties – before irreversible decisions are made. Impact assessment in a World Heritage context might be carried out as part of a wider Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA), prepared for a renewable energy project. Many legislative environments also prescribe Heritage Impact Assessments (HIAs) in specific. In the context of the World Heritage Convention, UNESCO, ICCROM, ICOMOS and IUCN jointly published a reference manual, the Guidance and Toolkit for Impact Assessments in a World Heritage Context , to support the assessment of potential impacts as part of Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) or Heritage Impact Assessments (HIAs). (See more details on ‘Environmental and Social Impact Assessments’ here ).

  Even where no existing system is included in a governance framework or where renewable energy projects do not normally require impact assessment under existing legislation, impact assessment must be undertaken for proposed projects that might have an impact on World Heritage properties (no matter if the project is planned within their boundaries, their buffer zones or in their wider settings). Such an assessment should also consider associated infrastructure such as transformers, roads, transmission infrastructure, etc. ( See details about the spatial areas of World Heritage properties here .) In such cases, stand-alone impact assessments such as EIAs and HIAs are needed to assess potential negative effects on the Outstanding Universal Value of one or more World Heritage properties and to mitigate negative consequences and maximize positive enhancement. ( See Potential impacts of wind and solar energy projects here and here .)

  In the World Heritage context, the assessment of the impacts of renewable energy installations is required to address specifically the potential impacts of the proposed project on the Outstanding Universal Value of the concerned World Heritage property. For this reason, it is fundamental to ensure that the impact assessment is based on a thorough understanding of the attributes conveying the Outstanding Universal Value and other relevant heritage values of the property and that an appropriate methodology is followed throughout the assessment process. ( See the details about the Outstanding Universal Value and attributes here .)

  Please check the list of principles for conducting a World Heritage related impact assessment in this Guidance and, for a more general World Heritage related approach, the principles included in the Guidance and Toolkit for Impact Assessments in a World Heritage Context.

  

  Informing the World Heritage Committee about renewable energy projects expand_more

  If a country plans a renewable energy project that might affect a World Heritage property –whether inside the site, its buffer zone or its wider setting – it must notify the World Heritage Committee trough the World Heritage Centre (which is the Secretariat of the Committee). This is done through the national authority (usually the National Focal Point for the implementation of the World Heritage Convention or the Permanent Delegation of the country to UNESCO), in conformity with paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines.

  When and what to report

  • Notification should be given early in the planning phase – before any irreversible decisions are made.
  • The aim is to allow UNESCO and the Advisory Bodies to help to find solutions that protect the property’s Outstanding Universal Value (OUV).
  • Where possible, the submission should include:
    • a screening report , or
    • a full impact assessment showing how the project might affect the site’s Outstanding Universal Value.

  Required impact assessments

  According to paragraph 118bis of the Operational Guidelines:

  • all planned developments in or around World Heritage properties must include:
  • Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs)
  • Heritage Impact Assessments (HIAs)
  • and/or Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEAs).

  These help to identify:

  • better location or design options,
  • both positive and negative effects on the site,
  • ways to reduce or avoid harm.

  The goal is to protect Outstanding Universal Value , improve resilience and address climate and disaster risks. (Refer to the Guidance and Toolkit for Impact Assessments in a World Heritage Context .)

  Additional resources and guidance

  • IUCN published Mitigating Biodiversity Impacts Associated with Solar and Wind Energy Development. Guidelines for Project Developers (2021) to help developers to reduce the biodiversity impacts of solar and wind energy projects.
  • IUCN has also released new guidance on:
  • biodiversity cumulative impact assessments (2024),
  • spatial planning (2024),
  • biodiversity enhancement (2025).

  These are valuable tools for developers working near World Heritage properties, especially when nature and biodiversity are part of the site’s Outstanding Universal Value.

  Public concerns and the role of UNESCO

  • If a person, group or organization (not just governments) is worried about the impact of a renewable energy project on a World Heritage property, they can contact the World Heritage Centre.
  • Under paragraph 174 of the Operational Guidelines, the World Heritage Centre, in its role as Secretariat to the World Heritage Committee, may then ask the country for more details, including an impact assessment.

  If the project is found to pose risks to a Word Heritage property:

  • the World Heritage Committee can request further assessments or recommend changes to the proposal;
  • in serious cases, a property could be:
  • placed on the List of World Heritage in Danger (see paragraphs 177 to 191 of the Operational Guidelines), or
  • removed entirely from the World Heritage List (see paragraphs 192 to 198 of the Operational Guidelines).

  Early and open communication with the UNESCO World Heritage Centre helps to prevent conflicts, protects World Heritage properties and supports better decision-making in terms of renewable energy planning. (Detailed information is provided on these topics in the sections ‘Understanding World Heritage’ and ‘Protecting World Heritage’)

• Types of impact assessments expand_more

  There are two main ways of assessing potential impacts on the Outstanding Universal Value of World Heritage properties. Their use depends on the type of action being assessed.

  STRATEGIC ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT Assessing the impact of programs & policies

  ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT Assessing the impacts of a energy project

  A Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) is a higher-level, more strategically aimed assessment that considers the impacts of actions deriving from policies, plans and programmes on the environment (including natural and cultural elements), natural resources, social, cultural, and economic conditions, etc. It is also able to take into consideration the institutional environment in which decisions are made (e.g., regional or national renewable energy plans, national renewable energy policies and regional and national land planning policies and acts).

  An Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA, also known as an Environmental Impact Assessment – EIA) is a project-level assessment focused on identifying and assessing the negative and positive environmental and social impacts of a specific proposed project (e.g., a wind or PV energy project with its ancillary facilities, or the expansion of the electrical grid). An ESIA often assesses impacts on the (cultural and natural) heritage values of a place and, in this case, may be referred to as a Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA). From a World Heritage perspective, an ESIA/HIA needs to, at minimum, focus on how the specific project will affect the Outstanding Universal Value of a World Heritage property and the attributes that convey Outstanding Universal Value. ( See also here the ‘Guidance and Toolkit for Impact Assessments in a World Heritage Context’ ).

  

  Strategic Environmental Assessments

  A Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) considers the impacts of actions deriving from policies, plans and programmes on the environment (including natural and cultural elements), natural resources, social, cultural and economic conditions, etc. The aim of the SEA process is to be proactive in providing support to better protect the environment (including natural and cultural heritage sites and obligations related to the implementation of the World Heritage Convention) – before policies are adopted and specific projects are proposed. It aims to ensure the sustainability of plans and policies by reviewing and shaping them and, therefore, helps to improve decision-making, also when considering specific projects. The process of an SEA follows the general elements of an impact assessment.

  

  What does ‘environmental’ mean in the context of impact assessments? expand_more

  In the context of impact assessments, the term ‘environmental’ does not refer only to natural resources, but also includes the physical, biological, resource use, social, cultural, health and economic dimensions of the context that a project might affect. Therefore, it can be applied to both natural and cultural World Heritage properties.

  SEAs have the potential to play a key role in protecting cultural and natural heritage sites, including World Heritage properties, by ensuring that policymakers at the national, regional and local levels understand and integrate heritage considerations into the policies, plans and programmes that concern the renewable energy transition and wind and solar energy, and can provide a context and framework for considering individual projects. For example, an SEA could help to ensure that the identification of appropriate locations for renewable energy projects within a renewable energy strategy takes into consideration the potential impacts on World Heritage and other sensitive areas and identifies them as exclusion zones. This can lead to the identification of no /low impact siting for renewable energy facilities that do not compromise World Heritage.

  An SEA could consider the Outstanding Universal Value and attributes of specific World Heritage properties and, moreover, (natural and cultural) heritage-related issues as well as national obligations under the World Heritage Convention.

  SEAs can also examine the impact of specific plans, policies and instruments on the Outstanding Universal Values of multiple World Heritage properties (e.g., within a specific area where several World Heritage properties are situated) or of properties encompassing extensive areas. It then helps development planning agencies to enhance and improve understanding of World Heritage requirements and raise awareness of the need to ensure their protection during the development planning process.

  Individual project proposals can benefit from the findings of an SEA, especially with regard to impact avoidance through location. Strategic level assessments are ideally carried out early in the process of national or supranational renewable energy development. However, they are also helpful when planning for potential new developments in areas with existing wind or solar energy facilities, as they are well suited to assessing the cumulative impacts (including the potential indirect impacts) of multiple projects. The two types of impact assessments (SEAs and ESIAs/HIAs) are, therefore, complementary processes.

  

  Case study expand_more

  A Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) has been prepared for the World Heritage property of ‘Wood Buffalo National Park’ in Canada, to assess the cumulative impacts of multiple developments near the property

  Environmental and Social Impact Assessments and Heritage Impact Assessments

  Environmental and Social Impact Assessments (ESIAs, also known as Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs)) and Heritage Impact Assessments (HIAs) are project-level assessments focused on identifying and assessing the negative and positive environmental and social impacts of a specific proposed project (e.g., a renewable energy project with its ancillary/transmission facilities). As there are various legal frameworks concerning impact assessments for States Parties, the names of these are not unified. The assessment of the impacts of a proposed project on the sole cultural heritage values of a place follows a similar methodology, although it is often called a Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA).

  

  Case studies expand_more

  Many countries have specific regulatory frameworks for SEAs and ESIAs/HIAs that offer guidance on when the assessment should be initiated, what it should contain and, in some cases, how it should be developed. Most countries have integrated these directives into national legislation and guidance documents.

  - The African Union (AU) developed the African Union Model Law on the Protection of Cultural Property and Heritage, which serves to assist Member States of the African Union with developing their own national legislation or with revising and strengthening existing legislation. Article 30 of the Model Law provides guidance for HIAs. The adoption of the Model Law is not mandatory for States Parties belonging to the African Union.

  - In the European Union, Directive 2001/42/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on the Assessment of the Effects of Certain Plans and Programmes on the Environment, dated 27 June 2001, came into force on 21 July 2001 as an extension to the existing Council Directive (85/337/EEC) on the Assessment of the Effects of Certain Public and Private Projects on the Environment, which was introduced in 1985 and amended several times until 2009. A guidance document on wind energy developments and nature legislation in the European Union published in 2020 is also available to provide information on certain aspects of the legislation.

  - In Canada, the Cabinet Directive on the Environmental Assessment of Policy, Plan and Program Proposals (2010) requires that SEAs be conducted for all departmental policies, plans and programmes submitted to the Ministry or Cabinet of Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISED) Canada. Additionally, the Cabinet Directive established that SEAs should also be completed for any other important activity or strategy that has important environmental effects or is of public concern.

  - In Ireland, the updated 2022 Strategic Environmental Assessment: Guidelines for Regional Assemblies and Planning Authorities refers specifically to World Heritage properties.

  From a World Heritage perspective, the impact assessment needs to analyse how the specific project will affect the Outstanding Universal Value of a World Heritage property, as well as the attributes that convey it. The aim of this assessment is two-fold. First, to provide the project proponent with an analysis of their proposal to enable them to avoid, if possible, or minimize any potential negative impacts on the Outstanding Universal Value of a World Heritage property. Second, to provide decision makers with all the information necessary to support decisions that safeguard World Heritage in planning processes. The process includes the evaluation of the proposed project and of viable project alternatives (including, where appropriate, no-project scenarios) and their compatibility with the protection and management needs of a World Heritage property. An ESIA further guarantees that environmental, cultural, social, economic and health implications of proposed projects and policies are adequately taken into consideration before decisions are made.

  The ESIA/EIA/HIA allows for:

  • better and improved planning and design for renewable energy projects, also considering alternative locations and design;
  • better decision-making that takes into consideration potential negative impacts on World Heritage, ensuring its long-term protection;
  • compliance with the World Heritage Convention, supranational and national legislation, and other environmental and social standards, saving unnecessary costs for the wind energy industry as well as for States Parties and their institutions, which might otherwise find themselves tied up in legal proceedings to reverse binding decisions taken before the impact assessment process.

  

  State Party commitments to the protection of World Heritage properties located in the territories of other countries expand_more

  Large renewable energy projects in one country could potentially have negative consequences (adverse impacts on the Outstanding Universal Value) for World Heritage properties in another.

  Article 6.3 of the World Heritage Convention stipulates that:

  ‘Each State Party to this Convention undertakes not to take any deliberate measures which might damage directly or indirectly the cultural and natural heritage referred to in Articles 1 and 2 situated on the territory of other States Parties to this Convention’.

  An impact assessment for a proposed renewable energy project that relates to a specific World Heritage property should aim to:

  • provide analytical information to decision makers on the potential impacts of the proposed renewable energy initiative (including wind turbines, ancillary facilities, power grids, access roads, etc., even when these may be divided into separate projects) on the Outstanding Universal Value of the World Heritage property in question;
  • ensure the protection of the property’s Outstanding Universal Value through a comprehensive assessment of the potential impacts on the attributes that convey the property’s Outstanding Universal Value and other heritage values;
  • identify potential negative impacts and provide procedures and methods for an iterative process that identifies mitigation, where possible and appropriate, and reassesses the revised project, with the objective of avoiding any negative impacts on the Outstanding Universal Value of the property;
  • provide opportunities for a proposed project to achieve positive impacts for the benefit of rights holders and other stakeholders, which might also be to the benefit of the property;
  • promote transparent, equitable and inclusive participation in the decision-making process, also for rights holders (including Indigenous Peoples) and stakeholders;
  • establish follow-up methods (monitoring the long-term implementation of the project, including possible mitigation measures agreed to during the planning process) in relevant project documentation and contracts such as the licensing agreement and an environmental and social management plan;
  • contribute to improving the effectiveness of the property’s management framework and related policies and other strategic documents;
  • contribute to sustainable development and promote environmental protection and social justice.

  

  When should project specific impact assessments be carried out? expand_more

  An ESIA/HIA for a renewable energy project that may affect the Outstanding Universal Value of a World Heritage property should be carried out in the early stages of project planning and design, and before any irreversible decision is taken. This allows for a comprehensive assessment of the potential positive and negative impacts of the project, and for impact assessment to be used as a tool to better inform decision-making throughout the project planning and design phases.

  Step-by-step guidance for the impact assessment process in the context of renewable energy planning

  All renewable energy projects and associated energy facilities (grid upgrades, expansions and improvements) within a World Heritage property, as well as projects located in its buffer zone or wider setting, can have an impact on its Outstanding Universal Value. They should therefore all be screened to identify if an impact assessment is required.

  

  In the context of World Heritage, the go-to reference document for the implementation of impact assessment with specific reference to World Heritage is the Guidance and Toolkit for Impact Assessments in a World Heritage Context . This document provides an overview on the impact assessment procedure relevant for all types of projects in a World Heritage context. It provides advice on determining the type of impact assessment needed and outlines the steps of stand-alone assessment of impacts on Outstanding Universal Value.

  

  Case studies expand_more

  Most countries have national regulations for ESIAs/EIAs and HIAs, often complemented by guidance that further expands on methodologies and good practices. Some have specific guidance on assessing the impacts of wind energy or solar projects in relation to protected areas.

  In France, a specific guidance document (Guide Relatif à l’Élaboration des Études d’Impacts des Projets de Parcs Éoliens Terrestres) includes a chapter dedicated to the development of impact assessment studies for terrestrial wind energy projects proposed to be developed near World Heritage properties.

  See also:

  • World Heritage and Wind Energy Planning: Protecting Visual Integrity in the Context of the Energy Transition (2021)

  • Case Study: Policy Framework for a Controlled Wind Energy Development near a Transboundary World Heritage Property

  An overview of the key information needed to assess the potential impacts of wind and solar energy projects is provided in this section of this Guidance for each of the 11 steps of the impact assessment methodology outlined in the Guidance and Toolkit for Impact Assessments in a World Heritage Context:

  1

  Screening expand_more

  Is the proposed renewable energy project likely to affect a World Heritage property and is an impact assessment necessary?

  

  To be carried out by the relevant national authorities/institutions and the World Heritage site management team or in close cooperation with team

  Screening is the first step in any impact assessment process and it focuses on assessing whether an impact assessment is necessary for a planned renewable energy project. It assesses the type, size, characteristics and location of the proposed renewable energy project in relation to the sensitivity of the World Heritage property’s Outstanding Universal Value, attributes and other heritage values.

  The screening process should identify whether a renewable energy project proposed within a World Heritage property, its buffer zone or its wider setting has the potential to impact the attributes of Outstanding Universal Value. At this stage, the project description and information available should be specific enough to decide whether or not an impact assessment is needed.

  

  What if the information available is not enough? expand_more

  In certain cases, the renewable energy project proposal being assessed may not be specific or detailed enough to make any judgments in this regard. This may be because a plan focuses only on the selection of one suitable area for the deployment of a renewable energy project.

  In such cases, either more specific details should be worked out or the screening and impact assessment process should apply the ‘precautionary principle’ approach and look at multiple alternatives, including a worst-case scenario (e.g., for a wind energy project, the highest number of wind turbines, the maximal heights of wind turbines, etc.; for a solar energy project, the maximal extent of solar arrays, maximal glare; for transmission infrastructure, the least sensitive routing and type).

  See the definition of the precautionary principle used by the European Parliament or by UNESCO in its Declaration of Ethical Principles in relation to Climate Change.

  Screening criteria should be identified taking into consideration the national/regional/local legal framework, the specific characteristics of the World Heritage property and the nature of the proposed renewable energy project.

  1) Examples of project related criteria are:

  • the type and size of the energy project (e.g., is this a project for the installation of a few new wind turbines or solar PV panels on the roof of a single building, or of a whole wind/solar farm, the extension of an existing farm or a repowering project?),
  • the size and typology of all the elements of the energy project (e.g., the number and height of wind turbines, the materials of the elements of the project, the kind of transformers, the height of transmission towers/pylons, the capacity, etc.),
  • the layout of the site if applicable (e.g., the type of wind turbines or solar PV, arrays, fences, etc., and their layout, size and height),
  • the proposed locations of all the elements of the energy project (including wind turbines, solar panels, etc., but also substations, ancillary facilities, access roads, et)

  2) The characteristics and sensitivities of the World Heritage property that the planned project relates to will be directly linked to the property’s Outstanding Universal Value and the attributes that convey it.

  The types of foreseeable, likely impacts will be derived from the combination of 1) and 2).

  

  What other factors might need to be considered? expand_more

  The screening process requires not only looking at the possible impacts of the proposed renewable energy project, but also having a preliminary understanding of the possible cumulative impacts created by the project and other existing or soon-to-be developed projects.

  As an example, a proposed project located outside the historic centre of a town might not have a direct impact on the historic area, but it could generate a cumulative impact on it when considering existing renewable energy infrastructure in the buffer zone and the wider setting of the property together with other high-rise construction projects within and around the historic centre.

  As a result of the screening exercise, the following decisions might be taken.

  1. An impact assessment for World Heritage specifically is not required, and the project could proceed without it. This decision should be laid out in a brief screening report that comprehensively justifies the decision. Clear information and data should be provided in evidence to support the decision. (The legal framework could still require an impact assessment to be carried out focusing on other heritage values.)
  2. An impact assessment is required, as the project might impact a World Heritage property. (Any proposed or planned renewable energy project that could potentially adversely impact a World Heritage property requires an impact assessment with a specific focus on identifying and assessing the potential impacts on its Outstanding Universal Value.)
  3. A decision cannot be made based on the information currently available. In this case, a list of the required information should be provided to the agency commissioning the screening and/or the impact assessment.
  4. The screening process may conclude that the project proposal is unsuitable for development near a World Heritage property and the project should neither be granted permission nor implemented.

  If a project proposal is radically changed during the impact assessment process, the screening might need to be repeated to reflect the latest changes. (Nevertheless, alternative options such as changes in the number of wind turbines or in the location of a solar array could be assessed within the impact assessment document and going back to the screening phase would not be necessary in that case.)

  

  How does screening further relate to World Heritage requirements? expand_more

  When a planned or proposed renewable energy project is notified to UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee under paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines with the assertion that the project will have no adverse impact on the Outstanding Universal Value of a World Heritage property, the resulting screening report is to be provided with the notification to justify this decision.

  

  Case studies expand_more

  The current European Parliament and Council Directive on Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) (Directive 2011/92/EU amended by Directive 2014/52/EU) does not require a mandatory EIA for wind power installations and projects, but does require Member States to conduct an EIA for projects proposed in sensitive areas such as World Heritage properties.

  Additionally, the directive requires Member States to base the decision on whether or not the commissioning of an EIA is needed on screening outcomes.

  See also: Planning offshore wind turbines along the coast of Normandy, France

  2

  Scoping expand_more

  Which are the issues and elements related to the Outstanding Universal Value of a property that should be assessed and who should be involved in this process?

  

  To be carried out by the relevant national authorities/institutions and the World Heritage site management team or in close cooperation with team

  Once the need for the impact assessment has been identified, the scope of work is to be set out. Scoping defines what information needs to be included in the impact assessment process. This phase aims to establish what the impact assessment should evaluate and identify which possible impacts the proposed renewable energy project might have on the Outstanding Universal Value and attributes of a World Heritage property.

  The scoping phase should investigate the following issues:

  1

  Set the scope of the assessment expand_more

  Identify the important issues that need to be considered in the impact assessment process. This should include:

  • a clarification of the attributes, including features and processes, that convey Outstanding Universal Value and other heritage values;
  • a clarification of the factors that need to be considered when identifying and evaluating the impacts of the proposed renewable energy project;
  • a definition of the need for and objective of the proposed project;
  • a definition of the scale and size of the proposed renewable energy project (at this stage, the project description should include information such as the type and scale of the project and necessary construction works including for ancillary facilities and waste production and management, etc.);
  • a definition of the time frame of possible impacts (short-, medium- and long-term), considering also the impacts that may occur during the different phases and life cycles of the project and specific seasons (e.g., migratory seasons) and times of day (daytime and night time);
  • a preliminary impact identification that flags any potential significant impacts to be addressed during the impact assessment process.

  2

  Define the geographical area to be assessed expand_more

  The geographical area to be considered in the impact assessment can be identified through a cross-analysis of:

  • the location of the proposed renewable energy project and its areas of influence (including the already identified alternative areas) and the locations of the attributes of Outstanding Universal Value and of other heritage values of the World Heritage property;
  • the geographical coordinates of the property’s boundaries and buffer zone;
  • the definition of any relevant wider setting, including key vistas and panoramas, breeding grounds for migratory species, water catchment areas, etc., that supports he Outstanding Universal Value of the property;
  • the locations of key rights holders and stakeholders, specifically, where they live, work and move, and their use patterns, etc. (if relevant).

  It is recommended that the national, regional and local planning and development agencies have freeware GIS layers and open-source GIS information pertaining to World Heritage properties, including information about the locations of attributes, buffer zones, identified key vistas, panoramas and view sheds (when relevant and if available). This information should be made accessible to site management teams, building owners and renewable energy (and other project) developers for inclusion in relevant planning frameworks and databases to highlight World Heritage properties (including their buffer zones and their surrounding areas) as sensitive zones.

  3

  Identify incomplete or missing information expand_more

  Consider and create a list of the missing data and information needed to undertake the impact assessment. Some of this missing information may be:

  • the adequate identification and mapping of the attributes that convey the Outstanding Universal Value of a World Heritage property,
  • studies and definitions related to the setting of the World Heritage property,
  • the identification of morphologically and visually relevant information (e.g., key vistas and panoramas) that contribute to the property’s Outstanding Universal Value,
  • landscape studies to understand the relationships between tangible and intangible attributes (including practices, ways of management and beliefs related to Indigenous Peoples and local communities).

  Incomplete project related information may also pose a problem (exact number and type of installations, exact extent and location of the project site).

  4

  Define the potential impacts to be assessed expand_more

  The preliminary identification of the potential impacts on the World Heritage property directly links the characteristics of the renewable energy proposal and the Outstanding Universal Value of the World Heritage property and its attributes. (Consider the different phases of the renewable energy project, as these will likely generate different impacts).

  See examples for the potential impacts of different types of renewable energy installations within this section: ‘Assessing Impacts’

  5

  Identify the project alternatives to be considered expand_more

  The project proponent should provide technically feasible and economically viable project alternatives that should be considered in the impact assessment process. The impact assessment should look at all the alternatives, not just the proponent’s preferred option. This may include, for example:

  • alternative types of renewable energy project,
  • alternative sites for the renewable energy project,
  • alternative locations for energy generating infrastructure or ancillary infrastructure,
  • an alternative scale, including a reduction in size of the project area or components (e.g., smaller wind turbines, shorter blades, smaller PV field, etc.),
  • an alternative design and/or operation of infrastructure such as PV panels with reduced glare and/or ancillary infrastructure, no-water PV cleaning and buried sections of transmission lines,
  • alternative timings and/or schedules for deployment, including construction, lifetime and decommissioning related to construction or deconstruction,
  • alternative access to the renewable energy production site and its ancillary infrastructure.

  A scoping study can conclude that both the proposed action and a preferred alternative should be assessed.

  6

  Identify the methodology used for the assessment and the time period that will be considered expand_more

  Suggest appropriate methodology for carrying out the impact assessment. Note that, in the context of World Heritage, the Guidance and Toolkit for Impact Assessments in a World Heritage Context includes the methodology that should be followed.

  The methodological approach applied in the impact assessment should be tailored to the specific characteristics of a property (Outstanding Universal Value, attributes and other values that may be affected), as well as the proposed action and its potential impacts.

  A time period to be considered in the impact assessment should also be identified. It should be linked to the characteristics of the World Heritage property and the attributes of the property that convey its Outstanding Universal Value (e.g., environmental cycles, seasonal cultural activities).

  7

  Assess who should be included in the impact assessment process expand_more

  As an impact assessment requires the examination of a large amount of data and documents related to the proposed project, the identified project alternatives and the World Heritage property, sufficient consideration should be given to the necessary skills and competencies of the professionals who will form the impact assessment team.

  The impact assessment team should include specialists familiar with the methodology of conducting a World Heritage related impact assessment and experts specializing in fields that are directly linked to the characteristics of the World Heritage property and the renewable energy project under consideration.

  Additionally, the scoping should identify actors, including rights holders and relevant stakeholders, that should be involved in the entire impact assessment process and outline an engagement and consultation plan describing the modalities of their involvement. Rights holders should have the opportunity to contribute to the scoping phase itself.

  The scoping exercise will result in a report that can also serve as Terms of Reference or guidelines for the implementation of the impact assessment.

  Like the impact assessment itself, the scoping document should be proportionate to the proposed project. Whereas the construction of a few wind turbines may only require a short template to be completed with relevant information, a large and complex wind energy project would merit a thorough and detailed scoping report.

  

  Specific wind and solar energy related content of a Scoping Report expand_more

  The proposed action (outline of the proposed renewable energy or transmission infrastructure project)

  Detailed outline of the proposed solar or wind energy or transmission infrastructure project – ideally, this includes all the information made available by the developer, including maps and technical drawings. Information may further include:

  • the number, height and locations of wind turbines/PV panels/etc.,
  • the material characteristics of turbines, panels and other components,
  • the typology and description of the energy project,
  • drawings: plan, elevation and section,
  • visualizations from relevant perspectives,
  • the depth and type of foundations,
  • construction requirements,
  • the locations, characteristics and construction details of substations and ancillary and service infrastructure (e.g., access roads, substations and construction sites, etc.),
  • line locations and descriptions of electrical and power grids.
  • A justification of why the proposed energy or transmission infrastructure project is needed in its proposed form/location;
  • Potential alternatives that should be considered in the impact assessment, including the ‘no-project’ option;
  • Mitigation options that are already foreseen by the proponent or seem immediately relevant and could be considered in the impact assessment to avoid or minimize adverse impacts;
  • Any enhancement opportunities that may increase the positive impacts the proposed action may have on heritage protection/management and/or society.

  The suggested content of a general scoping report can be found in the Guidance and Toolkit for Impact Assessments in a World Heritage Context (See also ‘Note 3’)

  

  Why the scoping report is a crucial document in the impact assessment process expand_more

  A scoping report may confirm the results of the screening process, but may also result in the testing of further options developed by the project proponent. If any potential impact on a World Heritage property is ruled out, there may not be a need for a full impact assessment after all.

  In other cases, if the ascertained impacts of the proposed renewable energy project seem to be so significant that they imply its clear incompatibility with World Heritage, the project should be reconsidered or even abandoned. In both cases, an exhaustive explanation should be provided in the scoping report.

  3

  Baseline assessment expand_more

  What are the current conditions of the World Heritage property?

  

  To be carried out by the relevant national authorities/institutions and the World Heritage site management team or in close cooperation with team

  The purpose of a baseline assessment is to compile a comprehensive overview of the Outstanding Universal Value, heritage values and attributes of the property, including the current condition and state of conservation of the World Heritage property under assessment.

  It sheds light on the possible impacts of the proposed renewable energy project by comparing the current state of the property with its foreseeable future state, with and without the planned project.

  A baseline assessment consists of three key elements:

  Describing the past, present and likely future baseline

  1. Analysing the Statement of Outstanding Universal Value

  In the World Heritage context, the Statement of Outstanding Universal Value (SOUV) forms the basis of the impact assessment process and it is one of the parameters against which impacts should be identified, assessed and evaluated. Statements of Outstanding Universal Value are usually formulated in a generic way that is often not detailed enough to fully satisfy the impact assessment. The nomination dossier prepared by a State Party to propose the inscription of a site on the World Heritage List, the management plan and other documents that may have been produced by the property management team or by research entities are therefore useful sources of information in addition to the Statement of Outstanding Universal Value. Nevertheless, if these documents do not provide relevant information in sufficient depth or detail, it might be necessary to conduct an in-depth and structured analysis of the Outstanding Universal Value, which can include:

  • the identification of attributes – including features and processes – conveying Outstanding Universal Value and other heritage values (especially the ones that support Outstanding Universal Value),
  • a map locating the identified attributes – to define the geographical area of the assessment, one must cross-check the locations of attributes with the potential area of influence of the proposed project.

  See for more detail the ‘Understanding World Heritage’ section.

  2. Collecting existing data and information

  After the analysis of the Statement of Outstanding Universal Value (SOUV) and the identification of the attributes that convey it, the assessment should look at identifying attributes, features and processes conveying other heritage values of national, regional and local significance.

  Data and information about the property and its Outstanding Universal Value and other heritage values can be collected from a variety of documents, for example:

  • the Statement of Outstanding Universal Value,
  • the nomination dossier for the inscription of the property on the World Heritage List,
  • information concerning all international, national and local heritage designations protecting the property in question,
  • World Heritage Committee decisions,
  • evaluations conducted by the Advisory Bodies, including technical reviews, and World Heritage related mission reports,
  • state of conservation reports of the World Heritage property,
  • answers to Periodic Reporting questionnaires,
  • existing management plans or documented management systems,
  • monitoring data and reports (i.e., the monitoring of key species and key habitats, monitoring reports referring to the implementation of conservation and management plans or strategies),
  • value mapping reports,
  • feasibility studies,
  • historical documents (including photographs, personal accounts and others),
  • relevant research results (publications, academic papers, etc.),
  • research with the associated community and knowledge holders.

  Many of these documents are available on the websites of the World Heritage Centre, national websites for World Heritage properties and may be accessible through the site management organization.

  This expanded data collection makes it possible to identify any missing data or information that will need to be collected, researched, reviewed or analysed as part of the baseline study.

  Carrying out additional studies

  The baseline study focuses on collecting and analysing missing quantitative and qualitative data and information that will be essential for continuing the impact assessment process. This could consist of a series of individual and topic-specific studies focusing on identifying and exploring the aspects of a World Heritage property’s multi-layered significance related to the potential impacts of the planned renewable energy project.

  It may further consist in specific studies needed to better inform the impact assessment process, for example, wind and solar resource assessments, visual assessments, studies concerning possible seasonal patterns and others. This is an iterative process, as new information might be needed throughout the impact assessment process. Thus, the baseline assessment needs to be carried out in a flexible manner, allowing for new information to be collected and integrated into the assessment throughout the process. See specifically for this ‘IA Checklist 2’

  A baseline study should be carried out for a defined geographical area and time frame. Particular attention should be paid to identifying possible seasonal and daytime/ night-time patterns such as the different life phases of the renewable energy project, migratory phenomena, agricultural cycles, social and economic uses, weather patterns, blooming time frames and others.

  Understanding the legal framework and management system of the heritage place

  The analysis of the policy context and management system of the World Heritage property and its wider setting, including governance mechanisms, has the potential to support and improve the impact assessment process. This step can offer a good understanding of how the international, supranational, national and local management and governance frameworks operate and interact, offering the chance to further understand how the property might be impacted by the proposed renewable energy project.

  Within the scope of the baseline study, the purpose of this step is to:

  • understand the different international (for example, in addition to being inscribed on the World Heritage List, a World Heritage property can also be a biosphere reserve), national and local natural and cultural heritage designations that apply to the concerned property;
  • identify the possible weaknesses or limits of the existing management system, which could enhance the negative impacts of the proposed renewable energy project (i.e., lack of maintenance, lack of resources to monitor attributes of Outstanding Universal Value and others);
  • identify which management and monitoring mechanisms could support the implementation of the recommendations of the impact assessment (i.e., new indicators to be developed to monitor impacts deriving from the proposed renewable energy project);
  • improve the understanding of the property’s rights holders and stakeholders and those who should or could be involved in the different steps of the impact assessment process (i.e., if it had not already been done, notifying the World Heritage Committee of the proposed renewable energy project).

  

  How to handle ‘change’ in a World Heritage context expand_more

  Many World Heritage properties are dynamic places in which change is likely to have already happened due to ongoing natural processes or in which it could happen because of future trends (e.g., climate change) that will take place independently from the development of the proposed project. This is especially the case for natural World Heritage properties. Nevertheless, the acceptable level of change depends on the characteristics of a property, directly related to its Outstanding Universal Value.

  The baseline study should capture this change and explain what impacts might already have occurred and what trends might impact the World Heritage property in the future.

  4

  The proposed renewable energy project and alternatives expand_more

  What activities are proposed as part of the renewable energy project?
  What are the reasonable alternatives to avoid or minimize potential negative impacts?

  

  To be carried out by the relevant national authorities/institutions and the World Heritage site management team or in close cooperation with team

  Description of the proposed project

  A thorough understanding of the proposed renewable energy project is needed to adequately identify and evaluate the possible impacts it may have. This analysis builds on the information collected during the screening and scoping phases, but now examines the details of the proposed renewable energy project and project alternatives identified in the scoping report.

  It is important to ensure that the renewable energy project is understood in detail, including:

  • the locations of all the elements of the proposed renewable energy project and their relationship to the World Heritage property,
  • the description of all the technical elements that are part of the proposed project (e.g., wind turbines, PV arrays, transmission towers, substations, access roads, grid connection and other ancillary infrastructure),
  • the details of all the phases of the project life cycle (planning, commissioning, operating and maintenance, and end-of-life strategies – lifetime extension, repowering and decommissioning),
  • any mitigation or enhancement measures that the project proponent already foresees.

  A first approach to defining the area for assessment could be based on a map superposing different layers or information, for example:

  • attributes conveying Outstanding Universal Value and their relationship with one another,
  • attributes, features and processes conveying other heritage values,
  • the locations of the different elements of the proposed energy project, etc.

  See ‘IA Checklist 3’, ‘IA Checklist 4’ and ‘IA Checklist 5’ for examples of project descriptions.

  

  Why the description of the project and its alternatives is of particular importance expand_more

  This phase is particularly important as it allows for the comprehensive description of the proposed renewable energy project in the final impact assessment report. It is advisable to describe the proposal in clear and accessible language that can be easily understood by both technical and non-technical readers. This will allow all rights holders and other stakeholders to easily comprehend and navigate through the information.

  Alternatives to the proposed energy project

  The screening, scoping and baseline assessment phases of the impact assessment should already provide general information about the World Heritage property (its geographical location, characteristics and heritage values, and potential or identified sensitive areas) and an initial identification of potential adverse impacts. Based on this, alternatives to certain aspects of the project might need to be considered. An early identification of alternatives to the proposal allows for different options to be discussed and considered when it is still possible to influence planning decisions (thus saving the project proponents time and financial resources).

  The exploration of alternatives in the event the original proposal could have negative impacts may lead to the revision of certain aspects of the project, or, if no feasible alternatives can be proposed, to its abandonment in this early stage.

  Aspects of renewable energy projects that could necessitate alternatives include:

  • alternative locations of renewable energy infrastructure, transmission infrastructure and ancillary facilities (e.g., substations, transformers, cables, construction and maintenance roads),
  • alternative types and layouts of renewable energy infrastructure and transmission infrastructure (e.g., type, foundation type, total height, density),
  • alternative technologies or materials that might ensure negative impacts are avoided or minimized (e.g., solar panels that minimize glint and glare or do not require cabling),
  • additional elements to the project that might avoid potential negative impacts (i.e., a pre established maintenance schedule that avoids disturbance to seasonally present marine species).

  The Guidance and Toolkit for Impact Assessments in a World Heritage Context advises that alternatives be considered in the three following steps, by:

  1. identifying reasonable alternatives, in line with the ‘alternatives hierarchy’ (Is it necessary? How should it be done? Where should it go? When and in what form should it take place?),
  2. assessing and comparing alternatives.
  3. explaining the choice of the preferred alternative.

  

  Further considerations for wind and solar energy and transmission infrastructure project planning and design expand_more

  To avoid any potential negative impacts on World Heritage properties, project proponents will need to consider the following during the planning and design of wind farms.

  • Siting plans should be based on the careful and well-informed selection of sites, considering all relevant data, including the vulnerabilities of World Heritage properties (for example, prone to visual and auditory impacts, vibration or air channel impacts for wind, and glint and glare for solar).
  • The number (of turbines, transmission lines, solar PV arrays) is a factor with a potential impact on vistas and the wider setting of a World Heritage property (especially for cultural landscapes and landscape level properties).
  • The layout of wind and solar energy parks and transmission infrastructure should fit within the areas of World Heritage properties (primarily the wider setting) in the most appropriate way, considering their Outstanding Universal Value and the other natural and cultural values that support the protection of their Outstanding Universal Value.
  • The model, design and colour of wind turbines, the type, scale and colour of solar PV panels used in arrays and the type of transmission pylons or transmission towers need to be carefully chosen with regard to the characteristics of the attributes of World Heritage properties (visual qualities, ecological qualities/species). This, of course, also concerns the height and scale of wind turbines.
  • When a property has archaeological values or provides an important habitat for wildlife, the installation site for renewable energy developments might require careful planning, even if it is located away from a World Heritage property, due to potential new discoveries or the extent of the habitats.

  5

  Identifying and predicting impacts expand_more

  What changes or impacts would result from the proposed renewable energy project (including the project alternatives)?

  

  To be carried out by the relevant national authorities/institutions and the World Heritage site management team or in close cooperation with team

  This central step in impact assessment involves the identification and prediction of the likely negative and positive impacts that could occur with the development of the proposed renewable energy project or of the identified alternative(s).

  Identification of impacts

  In the World Heritage context, the impact assessment process focuses specifically on identifying and understanding what would happen to the attributes conveying the Outstanding Universal Value, or other heritage values, if a proposed project was developed that could impact a World Heritage property. In general terms, an impact can be positive or negative and can affect many different aspects of a place: the biophysical environment, ecology, culture and cultural heritage, health, socioeconomics, views, soundscape and others.

  The identification of impacts related to a renewable energy project (including those from ancillary facilities and infrastructure) focuses on understanding the likely effects of the proposed renewable energy project on the tangible and intangible attributes conveying Outstanding Universal Value and other heritage values. During the identification of impacts on the Outstanding Universal Value of a property, its area should not be considered in isolation, but together with its buffer zone and wider setting.

  The impacts of renewable energy projects (as with many other types of projects) can be varied and may occur at any stage of the proposed project. For this reason, the impacts of a renewable energy project need to be examined for the whole project life cycle. For example, increased noise pollution and disturbance might occur during the construction phase, visual impacts might occur after construction and collisions of migratory birds with wind turbines might occur seasonally during operations. Actions from the proposed project, therefore, could have short-, medium- and long-term effects, as well as permanent and temporary effects. The effects of those actions could impact the area of the property, its buffer zone or its wider setting, but the impacts need to be assessed in relation to the Outstanding Universal Value of the World Heritage property, no matter where their source is located.

  There can be a range of different types of potential impacts caused by a proposed renewable energy project. (See examples for the potential impacts of different types of renewable energy examples-of-the-potential-impacts-caused-by-the-installation-of-solar-hot-water-and-solar-PV-energy-projects-in-the-landscape within this section: ‘Assessing Impacts’)

  Useful tools for identifying potential impacts include:

  • overlay maps: colour-coded or otherwise differentiated plans, possibly in a GIS database, that show the physical extent and different elements of a wind energy project that could be compared with areas of World Heritage properties (area of the property, its buffer zone and its wider setting) and the attributes that convey their Outstanding Universal Value;
  • checklists: these may be part of national guidance documents concerning the likely impacts of renewable energy projects;
  • matrix/matrices: these may be created with the attributes that convey the Outstanding Universal Value of World Heritage properties on one axis and the elements of the proposed renewable energy project on the other in order to examine the potential interaction between the two;
  • network diagrams: these could help to visualize the links between the elements of the proposed renewable energy project and their impact on the attributes that convey the Outstanding Universal Value of World Heritage properties.

  Within the impact assessment process, three main types of impacts need to be considered:

  • direct impacts, which are the result of a cause-and-effect relationship between the renewable energy project and the Outstanding Universal Value of a World Heritage property. For example:
  • the permanent removal and destruction of otherwise undisturbed, buried archaeological sites and features through preliminary excavations needed in advance of the construction of the foundations of renewable energy infrastructure;
  • changes in historical/traditional land division patterns and land use due to the placement of wind farms or solar arrays, habitat loss and wildlife displacement caused by PV installations and fatalities of migratory bird species due to collisions with wind turbines;
  • changes in the perception of the landscape and the disturbance of the key vistas or panoramas of a cultural site with visual values due to the installation of transmission infrastructure.
  • indirect impacts (which may be called secondary or induced impacts), which are not a direct result of the renewable energy project, but are the result of its actions through a more complex pathway. Such impacts could occur later in time or away from the project location. For example:
  • changes in sediment erosion or deposition outside a World Heritage property caused by increased navigation for the maintenance of offshore wind turbines or floating PV installations, which have a negative effect on the Outstanding Universal Value of the World Heritage property;
  • increased development in an area where access was acquired as a result of building a maintenance road for a renewable energy installation, resulting in negative impacts on the Outstanding Universal Value of a World Heritage property.
  • cumulative impacts, which are the result of the combined impact of the proposed project actions together with impacts derived from past, present or foreseeable other projects. For example:
  • an existing wind farm in the wider setting of a World Heritage property could already have a small/moderate negative impact on its Outstanding Universal Value; when a PV array installation is proposed in a location that includes key vistas for the property, the negative impacts of the existing wind farm and the proposed PV array installation reinforce each other and add up to cumulative impacts.

  

  Whether the impact is direct, indirect or cumulative, if it negatively affects the Outstanding Universal Value of a World Heritage property, then appropriate mitigation actions should be taken through avoidance or (if necessary) minimization.

  Prediction of impacts

  An informed prediction can be made about the likely scale and nature of potential impacts identified in relation to a proposed renewable energy project. This prediction is a technical analysis based on all available data about the project combined with the information on the baseline condition of the World Heritage property (See ‘Step 3. on baseline assessment’). Its purpose is to provide an evidence-based assessment about what would happen if the proposed project was implemented, therefore allowing an informed judgment about the compatibility of a proposed renewable energy project with the protection of a World Heritage property. This can then feed information into the design and planning steps of the project.

  The methodology for predicting impacts will depend on the characteristics of the proposed project, the impacts themselves and the Outstanding Universal Value and attributes of the World Heritage property. The characteristics of potential impacts may relate to magnitude, type, extent, duration, frequency, reversibility, likelihood, etc. In some cases, the impacts may be quantifiable and in others, a narrative description might be better suited to their description.

  Of the several ways to predict impacts, the Guidance and Toolkit for Impact Assessments in a World Heritage Context outlines three main techniques.

  1. Conducting a quantitative and qualitative analysis that is based on the calculation of impacts using collected baseline data and an understanding of the proposed actions. There are many specific methodologies developed by Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) professionals to analyse different types of impacts, including pollution, social impacts, visual impacts, etc. There are also tools for understanding the cumulative impacts of multiple projects. Whether this approach is feasible for a particular World Heritage property will depend on the nature of its Outstanding Universal Value.
  2. Seeking the professional judgment of specialists with consolidated experience in the assessment and analysis of impacts caused by renewable energy projects. Such experts can provide a qualitative estimate based on the experience of similar projects, contexts and regions.
  3. Using case studies by examining similar projects developed in comparable contexts, especially if monitoring data is available. This is an additional, not a primary, tool for predicting impacts for a proposed project that concerns a World Heritage property.

  It is important that impacts are estimated and compared in a transparent and systematic manner. The final report should clearly set out the methodology and parameters applied in the study. This will ensure both an accurate presentation of the results and the opportunity to review and verify predictions.

  In some cases, an impact assessment cannot be based on exact data and information because not all project information is available or sufficiently detailed. In these cases, the proponent should be asked for more detailed information about the project. Until that is available for assessment, it is appropriate to apply the ‘precautionary principle’ and look at multiple alternatives, including best- and worst-case predictions (concerning variants in the project design such as number of wind turbines, types of PV installations, etc.). (See ‘precautionary principle’ in ‘Step 1 on screening’.)

  

  Additional information concerning the quantitative analysis expand_more

  Whenever using the quantitative analysis method for predicting impacts, a clear comparison needs to be made between scenarios with and without the proposed wind energy project and the alternative project option(s).

  When quantitative analyses cannot provide exact numbers, impacts might be qualified as high, medium, or low in a grid format for the comparison of different scenarios. Nevertheless, this is to be considered a less accurate and systematic methodology.

  6

  Evaluating impacts expand_more

  Are the identified impacts from the proposed renewable energy project (including project alternatives) on the Outstanding Universal Value and other heritage values of the World Heritage property significant?

  

  To be carried out by an impact assessment team in close cooperation with the relevant national authorities/institutions and the World Heritage site management

  Once impacts have been identified and predicted, the next step is to evaluate their degree and whether or not they are considered acceptable. This is a key step in the impact assessment process, as the results may be directly translated into recommendations for decision makers concerning the renewable energy project. In the context of a World Heritage property, this step focuses on the evaluation of the range and characteristics of an identified impact on the individual attributes conveying the Outstanding Universal Value of a World Heritage property. Nevertheless, overall impacts on the Outstanding Universal Value and other heritage values also need to be assessed.

  

  How can impacts be evaluated? expand_more

  There are multiple methodologies for the evaluation of impacts and several ways of presenting them such as matrices, colour codes and tabular visualizations. An appropriate methodology should be selected according to the nature of the proposed project and the types of impacts predicted.

  An overview of evaluation methods is presented in the Guidance and Toolkit for Impact Assessments in a World Heritage Context. (Check also ‘Note 3’ and ‘Note 4’)

  The impacts of a renewable energy project need to be evaluated with regard to all project phases (considering each step in the project life cycle), as different impacts might occur at each phase (design and planning, construction, operation or end-of-life phase).

  For example, the construction phase of a renewable energy installation could cause high level impacts that need to be avoided or mitigated, but that will not be relevant later during the operation and maintenance phases, which might create other impacts.

  Negative impacts

  If the proposed renewable energy project will potentially have negative impacts on the Outstanding Universal Value of a World Heritage property, three conclusions could be reached as a result of the evaluation.

  1. There would be no negative impact on the property’s Outstanding Universal Value overall, therefore, the project could go ahead.
  2. The project proponent has already proposed avoidance and mitigation measures for the potential negative impacts of the proposed project, the level of which could be eliminated or minimized to an acceptable degree, therefore, the project can proceed on condition that all the appropriate measures are put in place.
  3. The negative impacts on the property’s Outstanding Universal Value would be significant overall and no feasible avoidance or mitigation measures were found, therefore, the proposed renewable energy project should not proceed, and alternative locations or options should be identified to achieve similar goals.

  Positive impacts

  In the World Heritage context, the positive impacts must not be weighed up against any negative impact the proposed project might have on the Outstanding Universal Value of a World Heritage property. As Outstanding Universal Value is irreplaceable, offsetting is not an option.

  However, it is also important to consider the potential positive impacts of the proposed renewable energy project as part of the impact assessment process. Positive impacts (identified, predicted and evaluated) are fundamental to understanding the project itself, as well as its possible relevance to rights holders and stakeholders.

  The positive impacts of the proposed renewable energy project should primarily be considered against the objectives set for the proposed actions, and the following conclusions could be reached as a result of their evaluation.

  1. The positive impact of the proposed project is relevant and also beneficial for the World Heritage property, therefore, raises no concerns.
  2. The positive impact could be enhanced if another project alternative or project design were selected.
  3. The positive impact does not meet the objectives set for the proposed action (the generated energy is not sufficient, not cost effective, etc.), therefore, the proposed action or the project itself should not proceed.

  As noted above, if the proposed project is found to have a potential negative impact on the Outstanding Universal Value of a World Heritage property that cannot be avoided or minimized to an acceptable level, then the project is not to proceed, regardless of the potential positive impacts.

  A renewable energy project with a significant adverse impact on the Outstanding Universal Value of a World Heritage property should be considered unsuitable and should not be granted permission. Attempting to balance out potential negative impacts on Outstanding Universal Value with otherwise positive impacts as a form of mitigation reflects an improper approach and is unacceptable from the standpoint of World Heritage protection.

  

  Are renewable energy projects always positive? expand_more

  Renewable energy projects could be considered as initiatives with an overall positive impact in terms of their contribution to combating the ongoing climate emergency and their role in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). However, the negative impacts of planned installations on the Outstanding Universal Value of World Heritage properties should always be avoided and alternatives identified that enable the energy transition to take place without compromising World Heritage.

  The impact assessment process needs to assess the consequences of a proposed renewable energy project from all relevant angles, including its benefits and positive impacts. The wider benefits of these projects could include social aspects such as access to clean energy, opportunities for local employment and reduced energy prices for local communities. Nevertheless, these benefits should not be achieved at the cost of negative impacts on World Heritage properties. Alternative solutions can be found, for example by finding other locations for the renewable energy installation, transmission infrastructure or their ancillary facilities, or by reducing their size and scale.

  7

  Mitigation and enhancement expand_more

  What are the reasonable alternatives to the proposed renewable energy project that avoid or minimize any negative impacts and achieve the objectives of the proposed action?
  How can negative impacts be avoided or minimized and positive impacts achieved and enhanced?

  

  To be carried out by the relevant national authorities/institutions and the World Heritage site management team or in close cooperation with team

  The impact assessment process should identify and evaluate the potential negative and positive impacts of the proposed renewable energy project and clearly state which are considered to be acceptable or unacceptable with regard to the Outstanding Universal Value of the property and its other heritage values and in relation to rights holders and local communities.

  Mitigation of specific negative impacts

  In the World Heritage context, a case-by-case assessment is needed to consider how to proceed if potential negative impacts on the heritage values of a World Heritage property have been identified. Some of the attributes that convey its Outstanding Universal Value might not be particularly sensitive to the impacts of a proposed renewable energy project and certain negligible impacts might not require mitigation. Other attributes might be more sensitive to the same type of impact, depending on the characteristics of the Outstanding Universal Value that is unique for all World Heritage properties. In these cases, mitigation should be considered to avoid or minimize the negative impacts.

  The proposed project-specific mitigation measures, therefore, need to consider a matrix that simultaneously includes the specificities of Outstanding Universal Value, the attributes that convey it and the other heritage values, as well as the elements and characteristics of the impacts created by the proposed renewable energy project (and its different project phases). Please see the detailed description of the ‘mitigation hierarchy’ in the Guidance and Toolkit for Impact Assessments in a World Heritage Context.

  According to the ‘mitigation hierarchy’ model, the following mitigation measures are appropriate for handling negative impacts affecting a World Heritage property:

  • avoid: measures that avoid creating the impact on the Outstanding Universal Value and attributes of a property;
  • minimize: measures that ensure that the project element of concern is revised and reduced to a level that no longer poses a threat to heritage values. It is important to note that ‘minimizing’ is not a synonym of ‘reducing’, which implies that the negative impact is reduced, but not necessarily to such an extent that it no longer has a negative impact.

  

  Examples of mitigating negative impacts expand_more

  AVOIDANCE

  Changing the location of a wind farm to less-sensitive areas, avoiding areas of archaeological interest and/or potential key vistas/historical panoramas or migratory routes.

  Positioning solar PV panels on buildings so they are hidden behind parapets or internal roof slopes that cannot be seen from the ground.

  MINIMIZING

  • Limiting the number, height and/or other dimensions of wind turbines so that they have no negative visual impact on the Outstanding Universal Value of a World Heritage property.
  • Redesigning project components, for example, changing the route of access roads to solar PV farms so that they do not negatively impact a property’s Outstanding Universal Value.
  • Lessening noise disturbance. The noise generated by wind turbines, substations and other ancillary facilities is managed until it is at such a low level that it no longer causes any disturbance in relation to a property’s Outstanding Universal Value (e.g., for nesting birds).
  • Choosing to install BIPV only onto new additions to historic buildings so as to maintain historically significant building material and elements.

  

  Rectifying, reducing or offsetting negative impacts expand_more

  Rectifying or reducing negative impacts, in general, is not considered to be suitable for mitigating negative impacts in the World Heritage context. Nevertheless, these methods might be used for mitigating negative impacts on other values that are not related to the Outstanding Universal Value and attributes of a World Heritage property.

  To rectify means to rehabilitate and/or restore the degradation caused by a specific action of the proposed project.

  This solution is acceptable only if, within a reasonable time frame, there are no foreseen negative impacts on the Outstanding Universal Value overall.

  As an example:

  • rehabilitating the landscape after the construction phase of the wind or solar PV farm that involves large earthworks, intensified traffic of heavy machinery, etc.

  The overall negative impacts of a wind or solar renewable energy project cannot be rectified by planning future rehabilitation works after the licensing period of operation (20 to 30 years) expires and, potentially, the infrastructure is dismantled and the land it occupies rehabilitated.

  To reduce negative impacts means to undertake actions to decrease their level, but not to such an extent there would be no noticeable impact.

  As an example:

  • the noise level of wind turbines might be reduced, but not to a level that would not negatively impact sensitive species that are part of the Outstanding Universal Value of a World Heritage property;
  • the area of a solar PV farm could be reduced, but it would still be visually intrusive with consequences for the integrity of a World Heritage property.

  To offset means to compensate for any negative impact that could not be avoided, minimized, rectified or reduced, by adopting positive measures.

  As the Outstanding Universal Value of World Heritage properties is irreplaceable, this method for mitigating negative impacts is unacceptable in the World Heritage context.

  

  Case study expand_more

  Specific guidance on the identification, evaluation and mitigation of the impacts of wind and PV energy farms and installations is provided by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and The Biodiversity Consultancy in Mitigating Biodiversity Impacts Associated with Solar and Wind Energy Development. Guidelines for Project Developers. These guidelines offer step-by-step guidance on the identification and assessment of impacts throughout the project life cycle – early planning, project design, construction, operations, closure and decommissioning or repowering – of both onshore and offshore wind and solar farms.

  Please note that IUCN, one of the Advisory Bodies of the World Heritage Committee, considers large- and industrial-scale infrastructure incompatible with the objectives and the conservation outcomes of natural World Heritage properties.

  Developing or enhancing positive impacts

  As renewable energy projects should, by default, have a positive impact in relation to the SDGs and reducing the negative impacts of climate change, the positive impacts of these proposals need to be the focus of the entire impact assessment process and ensure that the positive elements of the renewable energy projects are not lost in the project development phase.

  As SDG aims, by 2030, to ‘increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix’, SDG target 11.4 advocates to‘ strengthen efforts to protect and safeguard the world’s cultural and natural heritage’. Therefore, a feasible balance should be found by using a creative problem-solving approach to advance both interests.

  

  Examples of the enhancement of positive impacts expand_more

  • Replacing a coal fired energy plant that provides electricity for a region with wind farms.
  • Positioning a wind farm, PV array or CSP plant on contaminated land and remediating it as part of the project.
  • Creating a self-sufficient renewable energy system for a World Heritage site management organization operating in a remote area.

  Ensuring the implementation of mitigation and enhancement measures

  A key concern for mitigation and enhancement measures is ensuring their effective implementation beyond the impact assessment process. They might be used by the relevant authority as conditions for the construction and operation of the renewable energy facility in permit and licensing documents.

  In any case, mitigation and enhancement measures should become a coherent part of the renewable energy project cycle (from planning to end of life options) and a clear framework provided to ensure that the following aspects are taken care of:

  • the set of actions and measures are agreed and approved,
  • people are appointed to carry out:
  • mitigation measures/activities,
  • the monitoring and supervision of the implementation of these measures/activities,
  • the cost bearers are appointed and the costs estimated,
  • a time frame for the actions is defined and approved, specifying the phase of the project in which they are to be implemented.

  The above aspects become even more important if mitigation and enhancement measures are not directly linked to the planning and construction phase, but rather the maintenance or the end-of-life actions of the renewable energy project.

  

  Following up on mitigation measures expand_more

  The effective implementation of mitigation measures requires the establishment of clear agreements with the renewable energy developer. The implementation of mitigation measures should be included in the management and operational documents dealing with the construction phase, the long-term operation of the renewable energy project and the developer’s responsibility for decommissioning once the project’s life cycle is exhausted. All these pieces of information should be an integral part of the licensing documents, environmental and social management plan (which guides actions on the ground when the contractor implements the actions) and other relevant project management plans. These documents should be available to all relevant parties throughout the operational phase of renewable energy facilities.

  With regard to the processes in the impact assessment pertaining to the consideration of project alternatives and the mitigation of negative impacts, the evaluation of impacts can and, if needed, should be an iterative process that is repeated if new information becomes available or if the proposed project is revised (to assess the impact of alternative project options). The project developer/proponent should develop alternatives, guided by the impact assessor if needed.

  This step should be repeated until all potential negative impacts are avoided or mitigated or a ‘no project’ option is considered if residual negative impacts on the overall Outstanding Universal Value of a World Heritage property remain even after mitigation.

  It is important to keep in mind that the evaluation of impacts is not the end of the process, but rather the key moment of interaction with the project proponent. The results should be formulated in such a way as to clearly define the possible impacts stemming from the project, allowing the developer to identify improvements to their proposed project and possible mitigation measures. If the renewable energy project is considered to have no negative impact, the recommendation should include the definition of elements and key considerations to be included in the licensing process.

  8

  Reporting expand_more

  How should the impact assessment process and its conclusions be communicated to interested parties, including rights holders and other stakeholders?

  

  To be carried out by the relevant national authorities/institutions and the World Heritage site management team or in close cooperation with team

  To be effective and to fulfil its objectives, an impact assessment process should result in a report made available to all interested parties. It must provide a clear conclusion about the potential impacts of the proposed project on World Heritage.

  It is important to ensure that clear information is provided on the methodology employed for the assessment and clear conclusions are conveyed. It is equally important that the report use language that is clear for national decision makers, rights holders and other stakeholders, and the World Heritage Committee, concerning the analyses and final recommendations. The level of detail needed and the amount of information included in the report will depend on the complexity of the proposed renewable energy project. However, in all cases, enough data should be provided to inspire confidence in its conclusions.

  The report should use and reflect the information, analyses and assessment carried out during the impact assessment process. Within this framework, it will need to focus primarily on:

  • all relevant information related to the World Heritage property in question (Outstanding Universal Value, attributes, territorial aspects and other relevant cultural and natural heritage values, etc.),
  • the impacts of the proposed renewable energy project on the attributes of the Outstanding Universal Value and other values of the property,
  • the overall impact of the proposed project on the Outstanding Universal Value of the property,
  • clear conclusions and recommendations (related also to mitigation measures, project alternatives or the ‘no project’ option).

  It is also important to indicate who was involved in the assessment so as to ensure a transparent and neutral process.

  The report structure is advised to follow the step-by-step development of the impact assessment process. Nevertheless, impact assessment reports might need to follow national regulations or guidance documents in terms of format and content. (See for details ‘IA Checklist 6’)

  

  Ensure that World Heritage is addressed in the report! expand_more

  An impact assessment process for the identification and evaluation of the impacts of a renewable energy project on a World Heritage property is often part of a wider Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) or Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) that is typically a requirement and obligation for project proponents under the national legal framework (this is the case for all Member States of the European Union).

  In these cases, it is highly important that the assessment and report adequately address the impacts on the Outstanding Universal Value and attributes of the World Heritage property in question.

  9

  Reviewing the report expand_more

  Is the report ‘fit for purpose’ for decision-making?
  Has it been carried out in line with the relevant legal and professional frameworks and did it adequately consider the impacts on the Outstanding Universal Value of the World Heritage property?

  

  To be carried out by the relevant national authorities/institutions and the World Heritage site management team or in close cooperation with team

  The aim of reviewing the report is to determine whether the applied assessment methodology and the outcomes are adequate, if it has fully complied both with the relevant legal and professional frameworks and with the established Terms of Reference and, moreover, if it is fit for purpose in terms of transparency and usability.

  The review process is an important step to ensure quality control; it can be conducted in different ways and at multiple levels. It is often mandatory, especially in countries with Environmental (and Social) Impact Assessment (EIA or ESIA/HIA) legislation. The review is often carried out by a relevant authority with a specific mandate or by an external independent review team through a transparent process. The review of the report is especially important when the impact assessment is carried out under a contract linked with the project proponent and/or by other interested parties.

  The review must provide a clear description of the assessment process, the information used and its final conclusions and recommendations. Every effort should be made to ensure that:

  • the report and its conclusions are in line with existing national legislation and policies and international agreements,
  • the impact assessment process and report have fulfilled the Terms of Reference established by the commissioner or the relevant authority (it is advised that the Terms of Reference be checked by the relevant authorities prior to its commissioning),
  • the report addresses all the issues raised in the scoping report,
  • the report adequately addresses the World Heritage context,
  • the conclusions of the impact assessment report are in line with the established methodology of the assessment and the findings are logical results of the process.

  In general terms, the review of an impact assessment will result in one of the following two outcomes.

  • The quality of the impact assessment (including the baseline data, methodology and report) is adequate and fit for purpose.
  • The quality of the impact assessment and the report is insufficient, and the report should be revised (additional information is needed or a revised methodology should be applied, etc.).

  In order to meet these outcomes, it can be key to identify those reviewers who have expertise in either World Heritage and/or renewable energy.

  

  Making the report available to rights holders, stakeholders and UNESCO expand_more

  Rights holders and stakeholders

  The report should also be made available to rights holders and stakeholders, to allow them to comment and check how their views and comments have been taken into account, as well as how these influenced the project proposal and the assessment.

  In some countries, the report is made available for public review (for example, through an online platform), allowing further room for comments.

  Sending the report to the World Heritage Committee

  As already highlighted in other parts of this Guidance, when a proposed energy project has an impact on the Outstanding Universal Value of a World Heritage property, a notification is to be sent by the State Party to the Secretariat of the World Heritage Committee under paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines. The report of the impact assessment is a useful annex to this notification, which allows the World Heritage Committee to make a decision based on the feedback provided by the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies on the proposal and informed by the impact assessment report. Feedback is also provided directly to the State Party, often in the form of a technical review prepared by the Advisory Bodies: ICOMOS and IUCN.

  10

  Decision-making expand_more

  Is the proposed renewable energy project the best possible option also considering other possible alternatives?
  Under what terms should the proposed renewable energy project be approved?

  

  To be carried out by the relevant national authorities/institutions and the World Heritage site management team or in close cooperation with team

  1. The final impact assessment report provides decision makers with clear conclusions and recommendations. Based on those recommendations and the evidence that led to them, the relevant national, regional or local authorities should consider one of the following three options.
  2. Approval is postponed, for example, in cases in which the impact assessment has highlighted the need to consider redesigning the proposed project and/or if more information is needed before a decision can be taken.
  3. The proposed renewable energy project is rejected in the event the assessment has identified considerable negative impacts of the proposed wind energy project on the Outstanding Universal Value of a World Heritage property.

  

  How the result of the impact assessment relates to the World Heritage Committee’s decision-making? expand_more

  Please note that the result of an impact assessment (the report) might also be made available to the World Heritage Committee to facilitate the Committee’s decision-making in relation to the obligations of States Parties under the World Heritage Convention.

  As formal decisions concerning a renewable energy project are, in most cases, legally binding, if the negative impacts of a renewable energy project are discovered after a proposed project receives approval from the national/regional/local authorities, the ensuing situation is hard to resolve. This might be the case if an impact assessment does not consider the impacts of the proposed project on the Outstanding Universal Value of a World Heritage property, which can happen when the proposal is not within the boundaries of the property or its buffer zone, but also if the methodology followed for assessing impacts was inadequate.

  The World Heritage Committee might regard the approved project as incompatible with fulfilling the obligations of a State Party under the World Heritage Convention and request the State Party to rectify the situation (even if the project has been implemented). On one hand, this may lead to national authorities facing lengthy legal procedures and having to pay the project developer financial compensation. On the other hand, if the proposed or implemented project poses potential or ascertained threats to the Outstanding Universal Value of the World Heritage property, it may lead to its inscription on the List of World Heritage in Danger (see paragraphs 177 to 191 of the Operational Guidelines) or its deletion from the World Heritage List (see paragraphs 192 to 198 of the Operational Guidelines).

  11

  Follow-up expand_more

  How should the approved mitigation measures be implemented?
  What should be done to monitor and manage the implementation of the proposed action?

  

  To be carried out by the relevant national authorities/institutions and the World Heritage site management team or in close cooperation with team

  When a renewable energy project is approved and can be implemented, the information and recommendations that result from the impact assessment process should be incorporated into the relevant project documentation and contracts such as the licensing agreement and tender documentation for the implementation of the project. They should also be part of an environmental and social management plan. The impact assessment report itself will be the basis for developing a set of follow-up actions.

  The complexity of the required mitigation and enhancement measures and other follow-up actions will also depend on the level and complexity of the renewable energy project. While a small project might only require the preparation of a list of the measures and actions needed, a major, large-scale renewable energy project will require the preparation of an environmental and social management plan. The relevant heritage authorities and experts involved in the impact assessment will need to be consulted in the development of this document, which will become part of the contract documentation for the project.

  Mitigation and enhancement measures and other follow-up actions are to be implemented and monitored together with the renewable energy project. The follow-up plan or the environmental and social management plan should include clear monitoring procedures to ensure that the recommendations of the impact assessment report are adequately and effectively implemented and that no unexpected further impacts arise from the project, which may need to be managed immediately.

  The implementation of the follow-up phase needs to be ensured primarily by the project developer and renewable energy site manager. However, it also requires the supervision (compliance monitoring, inspection and enforcement) of the responsible governmental or institutional bodies at the national/regional/local level (environmental and heritage authorities) and the management team of the World Heritage property to ensure that, during the implementation of the follow-up measures, the Outstanding Universal Value of the World Heritage property is preserved. The National Focal Point for World Heritage is also expected to follow up on the implementation of the decisions of the World Heritage Committee and the recommendations of the Advisory Bodies in this regard.

  The Guidance and Toolkit for Impact Assessments in a World Heritage Context includes a full set of follow-up activities. Please check these to develop measures in relation to renewable energy projects.

  

  What if changes are needed for a renewable energy facility within its life cycle? expand_more

  Considering that a renewable energy project may change during its life cycle (i.e., due to changes in a country’s energy needs, renewable energy strategies, policies and plans), so may the originally planned end-of-life strategy of a renewable energy facility. This could imply a decision to dismiss the decommissioning process in favour of repowering, often with the installation of technologically more advanced infrastructure, the enlargement of existing infrastructure, modern ancillary facilities and new access tracks to the renewable energy installation site, etc.

  In these cases, a new impact assessment process should be initiated to ensure that, after the facility is redesigned, the proposed new elements and the renewable energy facility as a whole are adequately assessed before permission is granted. Furthermore, it should be ensured that the revised project will not threaten the Outstanding Universal Value of a World Heritage property.

  This is a necessary exercise as, over the years, the context of a World Heritage property may also change, for example, through the construction of other renewable energy facilities or other types of projects in the surrounding areas. These may cause impacts to add up and call for the assessment of cumulative impacts.

  If a renewable energy project, in any of its phases, seems or proves to negatively affect the Outstanding Universal Value of a World Heritage property (either due to the inadequate follow up and implementation of mitigation and enhancement measures or due to unforeseen circumstances), the project element causing the negative impact should, if possible, be halted, the impact/damage assessed and appropriate actions (mitigation or other) initiated or approved by the relevant national/regional/local authorities as well as the site management.

  The necessary actions might already be identified and included in the management planning in place (either the environmental and social management plan or the management plan for the World Heritage property).

  

  Monitoring follow-up activities and measures expand_more

  Monitoring in the follow-up phase also allows for the collection of information that could enhance that related to the World Heritage property, its Outstanding Universal Value and attributes.

  As an example:

  • the collection of information about the attributes of World Heritage properties can be cross checked with the baseline established during the impact assessment,
  • monitoring the renewable energy facility in use might provide new information related to the sensitivity of attributes or other information relevant to the baseline.

  See also potential proactive actions included in the section ‘Protecting World Heritage’.

• Cumulation expand_more

  Cumulative impacts can be defined as the result of several additional, often individually insignificant changes or effects. They are often neither measured nor accounted for before their effect grows progressively over time through accumulation. Although the existence of cumulative impacts is known to be omnipresent, they are often overseen in impact assessment processes.

  

  Cumulative assessments expand_more

  Cumulative assessments are receiving more and more attention, and some institutions have published specific guidance documents precisely to assist with assessing the impacts of cumulations.

  • The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) via its private-sector arm IDB Invest, has published a Practical Guide for Cumulative Impact Assessment and Management in Latin America and the Caribbean (January 2023).
  • IUCN has also published its supplementary Guidance on Biodiversity Cumulative Impact Assessment for Wind and Solar Developments and Associated Infrastructure (2024)

  Assessments of cumulative impacts often overlap with the assessment of indirect impacts and the evaluation of interacting impacts. Nevertheless, the assessment of indirect and cumulative impacts and impact interactions should be based on an integrated approach throughout the impact assessment process and not considered as a separate stage. Therefore, the assessment of such impacts should be an integral part of all the stages of impact assessments related to proposed renewable energy projects and their associated transmission infrastructure, as well as general transmission infrastructure projects.

  

  When considering renewable energy developments, cumulative impact assessment includes both direct and indirect effects from existing elements and proposed projects, and from other previous and reasonably foreseeable future changes that potentially have an impact on the Outstanding Universal Value of a World Heritage property and its attributes. This might be:

  • a new renewable energy project or transmission infrastructure project in an area where elements/structures have already been built/implemented, which, in combination, causes cumulative impacts;
  • a new renewable energy or transmission infrastructure project in combination with one or more existing or approved but unbuilt projects;
  • a new renewable energy or transmission infrastructure project in an area where other projects are planned in the reasonably foreseeable future;
  • an extension to an existing or approved but unbuilt project;
  • more than one renewable or transmission infrastructure project proposed at the same time within an area;
  • other development projects inside the World Heritage property, its buffer zone(s) and wider setting;
  • any combination of the above.

  

  

  When to consider cumulative impacts? expand_more

  The cumulative impacts of renewable energy projects should be considered both:

  • in strategic planning mechanisms (such as a Strategic Environmental Assessment) as part of the preparation of a strategic framework for energy development plans or, more specifically, for a plan for the identification of suitable areas for wind energy projects; and
  • in the context of site-specific planning proposals (Environmental and Social Impact Assessments).

  The assessment of cumulative impacts is more effective if examined and accounted for at the policy, spatial planning and strategic programme level. This is also more cost effective and time saving, as gathering relevant information may be easier at this level. Nevertheless, it requires awareness and attention from the relevant national bodies, as well as the integration of cross-sectoral thinking.

  It is also to be noted that assessing cumulative impacts in relation to a World Heritage property can conflict with national legislation, which often follows the principle that each project application must be determined on its own ‘individual merit’. For this reason, decision makers should seek opportunities to reconcile multiple interests when assessing the impacts of wind energy projects.

  The basic tool for all cumulative impact assessment is the identification of thresholds (at the local, regional and national level) to reflect the significance of impacts on Outstanding Universal Value and attributes. The key principle for a cumulative impact assessment related to individual wind energy project proposals is to focus on their likely impact on the Outstanding Universal Value of a World Heritage property.

  

  Thresholds for cumulative impacts expand_more

  Setting thresholds at any level may be a challenging exercise and may often result in conceptual rather than exact numerical quantities. Nevertheless, the nomination dossier submitted during the inscription of a site on the World Heritage List might provide valuable information from this point of view. A value centred approach should be adopted for this process as well, using the set baselines of the impact assessment process (such as, for example, the state of conservation of the site at the time of inscription on the World Heritage List).

  Experts should engage in this process with stakeholders and synthesize input with their professional judgment. Any methodology employed for the cumulative assessment should be rigorous (and well-described in the impact assessment documents) and transparent.

  The potential cumulative impacts of renewable energy projects (both onshore and offshore)

  Cumulative impacts can emerge in diverse forms. They can result from the accumulation of impacts derived from the installation of multiple renewable energy projects, the multiple facilities of an onshore or offshore renewable energy project, the continuous enlargement of an existing renewable energy facility or multiple infrastructural developments and renewable energy projects together.

  The following are examples of the potential impacts of renewable energy projects that can accumulate.

  • The impacts of renewable energy installations or transmission infrastructure projects, including renewable energy projects that are developed progressively (e.g., always adding only a few new turbines to the existing one(s) or individual solar PV arrays built by landowners in a cultural landscape). Relevant factors can be:
  • the distance between individual wind farms (or turbines),
  • the total coverage of solar PV in relation to the topography,
  • the distance over which individual wind farms, turbines or solar PV installations are visible.
  • The impacts of a wind farm or solar PV array and transmission infrastructure together with other projects. Relevant factors can be:
  • the overall character of the landscape and its sensitivity,
  • the scale and grain of landscape mosaics,
  • the locations and axes of significant views,
  • the siting and design of the renewable energy installations themselves,
  • the way in which the landscape is experienced,
  • key natural processes including geological, biological, etc.
  • The impacts of ancillary facilities or other development projects, in which relevant factors can be both visual and functional, adding also to those of the renewable energy installation itself.

  Other types of impacts can be related to the operation and maintenance of renewable energy installations and their ancillary facilities as well as transmission infrastructure (especially concerning natural World Heritage properties).

  

  Case studies expand_more

  There are several guidance documents and examples of assessing cumulative impacts. The Impact Assessment Agency of Canada has developed a Cumulative Effects Assessment Practitioners’ Guide to support the development of cumulative assessments in line with the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act of 2012.

  A Strategic Environmental Assessment was also carried out to assess the potential cumulative impacts of different projects in the Wood Buffalo National Park, Canada .

• Participation of rights holders and other relevant stakeholders in an impact assessment process expand_more

  Impact assessments require the participation of all ‘interested and affected parties’ in a meaningful, transparent and equitable manner.

  The World Heritage Convention creates a framework for the involvement of rights holders and other stakeholders in the identification, management and protection of cultural and natural World Heritage. Article 5(a) of the World Heritage Convention calls for States Parties to adopt a general policy to give the cultural and natural heritage a function in the life of the community and to integrate the protection of that heritage into comprehensive planning programmes.

  The participation of rights holders, communities and other stakeholders is a key element in both the management and protection of World Heritage properties, and throughout the entire impact assessment process as well.

  A participatory approach to impact assessment assists with:

  • ensuring the free, prior and informed consent of rights holders and particularly of Indigenous Peoples;
  • facilitating the understanding of the potential impacts, benefits and challenges posed by the proposed project;
  • engaging with rights holders and stakeholders from the outset for a meaningful, consultative impact assessment process, including for the identification and assessment of likely impacts, possible alternatives and, where appropriate, participation in the development of mitigation and management measures (this should also extend to obtaining free, prior and informed consent from Indigenous Peoples where relevant);
  • enhancing understanding of the Outstanding Universal Value and other heritage and conservation values of a property, through the consideration of traditional and local knowledge shared by rights holders and stakeholders;
  • considering conservation through the consideration of traditional and local knowledge shared by stakeholders;
  • offering rights holders and stakeholders an understanding of key World Heritage processes and requirements.

  The participation and engagement of rights holders and stakeholders can happen in different ways, in line with existing national and/or supranational legal frameworks or guidance. Awareness raising, consultation and participation campaigns are effective ways to best involve rights holders and stakeholders, and to guarantee that their concerns are understood and integrated in the impact assessment processes. (See also ‘Note 2’ for identification of rights-holders and other stakeholders and potential engagement tools.)

  

  Engaging with rights holders, communities and other stakeholders expand_more

  The Operational Guidelines recognizes rights holders, local communities and stakeholders as key actors in the management and conservation of World Heritage properties. States Parties to the World Heritage Convention have an obligation to follow a human-rights based approach in line with international human rights standards and norms, and to ensure the gender-balanced participation of a wide variety of stakeholders and rights holders. The Operational Guidelines outlines the requirement for States Parties to develop equitable governance arrangements and collaborative management systems when appropriate, and stress the importance of promoting and encouraging the effective, inclusive and equitable participation of Indigenous Peoples, local communities and other stakeholders concerned with the property to effectively support its sustainable protection, conservation, management, use and presentation.

  UNESCO’s Policy Document for the Integration of a Sustainable Development Perspective into the Processes of the World Heritage Convention also underlines the need for States Parties to ensure the full respect and participation of all stakeholders and rights holders, including Indigenous Peoples and local communities, in the assessment of the environmental, social and economic impacts of all proposed developments.

  Impact assessments should be carried out following the principles of inclusivity, participation and transparency. The impact assessment process should provide for the early engagement of rights holders and stakeholders (including Indigenous Peoples and local community members) in the identification and assessment of the heritage values and attributes of the property, even beyond its Outstanding Universal Value. This is especially important where these heritage values have not yet been systematically identified and mapped, such as at the time of the preparation of the Statement of Outstanding Universal Value or as part of the establishment of the management system for the World Heritage property. This process is also an opportunity to provide rights holders and stakeholders with key information on World Heritage processes, procedures and statutory requirements, to ensure that they are adequately equipped to participate in the impact assessment process.

  

  Case studies expand_more

  Stakeholder participation and engagement – a discussion forum for developing joint recommendations, the example of the KNE Dialogue, Germany.

  Assessment of the cumulative impacts of multiple developments near a World Heritage property in Canada.

• What should be considered before beginning an impact assessment? expand_more

  A project specific impact assessment should be based on a thorough understanding of the World Heritage property’s Outstanding Universal Value, its related attributes and other heritage values, and the proposed renewable energy project. (See ’IA Checklist 1’ )

  

  In advance of an impact assessment:

  • ensure that there is a comprehensive understanding of the World Heritage property for which the impact assessment process is being conducted, using the readily available information and documents (Statement of Outstanding Universal Value (SOUV), maps and other relevant information from national databases and on the website of the World Heritage Centre, the nomination dossier, dedicated national websites, national inventories, management plan, etc.). This primarily includes a good understanding of the heritage values and attributes of the property and a good grasp of the property’s boundaries, buffer zone(s) and wider setting. (See also ‘Step 3: Baseline Assessment’). If available, an impact assessment should also refer to the results of sensitivity mapping (See ‘Note 1’).
  • understand and analyse the relevant legal and institutional framework that exists at local, national and supranational levels. The assessment should clarify the legal framework of the property, its buffer zone(s) and the wider setting. (See this topic here)
  • consider possible project alternatives before initiating the impact assessment process, or during the screening phase. This includes considering alternative locations, the outline and design of the proposed renewable energy development, alternative project specifications (size, materials, height, colour, etc.) and a no-project option.
  • envisage the involvement of relevant professionals in the impact assessment team, including impact assessment and renewable energy specialists and heritage practitioners with in depth knowledge of the World Heritage property in question. These may be competent authorities, site managers and management institutions or practitioners involved in conservation and management activities at the property. Particular impacts on specific attributes may require additional input from other specialists.
  • identify rights holders and other stakeholders and ensure that mechanisms for their participation are in place throughout the impact assessment process. (See this topic here and in ‘Note 2’)

  

  Considerations when siting renewable energy projects to protect World Heritage expand_more

  There are wind speed and solar maps and atlases that are used by the renewable energy sector and transmission infrastructure project proponents to identify potentially suitable development areas. It is advised to cross check such maps and atlases with the boundaries, buffer zones and wider settings of World Heritage properties to estimate the feasibility of renewable energy and transmission infrastructure proposals in the early project planning phases.

  The results of previous impact assessments, vulnerability studies and sensitivity maps may be included in planning and development databases to support the identification of suitable development areas and ensure the avoidance of sensitive areas. (See ‘Note 1’)

  Close cooperation between renewable energy project proponents and the authorities responsible for safeguarding the natural and cultural heritage, as well as with rights holders, local communities and other stakeholders, is needed to ensure that the planning and design process of renewable energy and transmission infrastructure energy projects is informed by identified vulnerable areas and areas where the installation of renewable energy and transmission infrastructure energy projects is not possible. The renewable energy and transmission infrastructure energy project proponents could, themselves, follow a ‘no-go’ commitment strategy to protect World Heritage properties from developments that would have a negative impact on their Outstanding Universal Value.

  To ensure the protection of World Heritage properties, the siting and design process of a renewable energy and transmission infrastructure energy project should, in all cases, consider the following:

  • the use of impact assessments to thoroughly evaluate the potential impacts of proposed projects,
  • the micro-siting and positioning of infrastructure such as wind turbines and solar arrays to ensure their most optimal placement and arrangement within the wider landscape,
  • the type and routing of access tracks, including the amount of cut and fill required,
  • the location and design of ancillary facilities,
  • the location, design and restoration of construction and maintenance facilities (hardstandings, cranes, borrow pits, compounds),
  • the location and size of ancillary infrastructure such as wind monitoring masts, fences, roads, etc.,
  • residential, industrial and recreational areas,
  • land management changes.

  Siting and design of renewable energy installations

  The selection of appropriate sites for wind or solar farms and transmission infrastructure such as high tension lines, from the industry’s point of view, depends on multiple elements including landscape features, wind characteristics, solar potential and the location of the existing distribution grid, residential and industrial areas, military and natural protected areas, and other service infrastructure.

  

  Why scale matters expand_more

  Depending on the characteristics of the attributes of a World Heritage property, even small-scale wind and solar energy projects may have a significant impact, especially on the visual characteristics of historic cities, cultural landscapes and areas of exceptional natural beauty and aesthetic importance.

  Utility-scale wind turbines that, together, form a wind farm and solar energy installations such as solar PV farms or CSP installations are likely to have a potential impact on World Heritage properties if planned within or around them owing to their impressive scale and dimensions in a landscape.

  Further to these elements, in a World Heritage context, all actors also need to consider the compatibility of proposed plans with the protection and management goals and needs of World Heritage properties. There are several tools that can help distinguish between ‘suitable’ and ‘non-suitable’ locations for wind energy projects in this respect.

  • Existing impact assessments, vulnerability assessments and sensitivity maps (See ‘Note 1’) can be consulted when selecting sites for wind energy projects, along with information on the Outstanding Universal Value of the property, including the characteristics and locations (if possible) of its attributes (such as habitats and key views, vistas and panoramas). The preparation of such studies and the provision of relevant data are proactive and efficient actions before actual wind energy developments are proposed.
  • Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEAs) can be carried out at the national or supranational level to assist with informed decision-making related to transmission grid development and renewable energy installations. SEAs take into account existing policies and restrictions and are a good tool for assessing cumulation. They enhance a strategic approach to renewable energy and distribution development and could help to identify suitable areas for development and exclusion zones where no development should take place. Nevertheless, individual renewable energy projects require a dedicated Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) to decide on their appropriateness in a specific location.
  • Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) and Heritage Impact Assessments (HIAs) can provide key information to improve the project design and plan and propose alternative project locations or reveal early in the planning phase if the construction of a wind energy project in a certain location is not possible from a World Heritage perspective (this could concern the area of the property, its buffer zone or its wider setting).

  

  When considering renewable energy projects in a World Heritage context, visual impacts usually come first to mind (See for details in ‘Note 4’). However, renewables projects may have many other kinds of impacts. Inadequately planned wind or solar farms or transmission lines, for example, can be located on migratory routes or within sensitive biodiversity areas, or disturb significant archaeological sites. A project may also have different impacts at different phases of its life cycle. Different impacts should be analysed not in isolation, but considered cumulatively. The specific negative impacts of a proposed renewable energy project need to be mitigated, if possible, according to their relationship to the property’s Outstanding Universal Value and, where this is not an option, alternative projects may be developed or the project may be abandoned. At the same time, potential positive impacts can be developed and enhanced. (See in more detail ‘Step 6: Evaluating impacts’ and ‘Step 7: Mitigation and enhancement’)

• Potential impacts of renewable energy projects on the Outstanding Universal Value of World Heritage properties expand_more

  Potential impacts of wind energy projects on the Outstanding Universal Value of World Heritage properties expand_more

  Onshore wind energy projects

  Examples of potential impacts caused by the installation of onshore wind energy projects are available here

  Potential biodiversity enhancement when installing onshore wind energy projects:

  Biodiversity enhancement undertaken for wind and solar energy projects in a World Heritage context is discussed in detail in here, which also outlines good practice principles.

  The following examples are specific to onshore wind energy projects:

  The footprint of turbines take up only a small proportion of the total land area of an onshore wind farm. While the direct and indirect impacts of these developments must be mitigated, it is often possible to manage a wind farm in such a way as to create additional biodiversity benefits and/or improve ecosystem services, especially for projects built on already converted or degraded land.

  For onshore wind energy, it is important that biodiversity enhancement does not create new risks of negative impacts on wildlife. For example, the onsite restoration of natural habitats could attract species of birds or bats at risk of collision with turbines. When planning for biodiversity enhancement, it is thus important to consider the ecology, including the habitat preferences, of potentially vulnerable species.

  The landscape context will also influence which biodiversity enhancement activities are appropriate. Examples of potential activities include:

  • restoring natural vegetation,
  • planting meadows of wildflowers to improve pollinator diversity,
  • introducing plants to increase connectivity and enable wildlife movements,
  • managing invasive species,
  • creating artificial habitat structures for particular species (usually not bats or birds), e.g., artificial hibernacula, burrows, hollows, refuges…
  • setting up fencing to protect livestock and reduce human-wildlife conflict,
  • setting up fencing to protect wildlife or vegetation, or to exclude invasive species.

  Offshore wind energy projects

  Examples of potential impacts caused by the installation offshore wind energy projects are available here

  Potential biodiversity enhancement when installing offshore wind energy projects:

  Biodiversity enhancement undertaken for wind and solar energy projects in a World Heritage context is discussed in detail in here, which also outlines good practice principles.

  The following examples are specific to offshore wind energy projects:

  Offshore wind farms can be particularly suited to supporting biodiversity enhancement. They introduce new structures into the marine environment that can be colonized by or shelter marine organisms. Their management regime may also create refuges from fishing or disturbance. The ‘nature inclusive’ design of offshore wind infrastructure is an active area of research and implementation.

  ‘Nature inclusive’ design can often increase species diversity and biomass, but may also give rise to new communities (different to the original ecosystem) and could potentially increase the risk of invasive alien species establishing themselves. The exclusion of fishing or other human activities could also risk displacing impacts elsewhere, potentially to more sensitive locations. The ecological context for biodiversity enhancement and potential unintended consequences thus need to be carefully considered and the good practice principles in Section 4.6 applied.

  Examples of potential actions for biodiversity enhancement include:

  • designing scour protection structures to maximize biodiversity benefits, e.g., through creating large and small holes and crevices, selecting substrates with chemical properties that encourage the settlement of target species and actively introducing target species to speed up colonization;
  • adding underwater cages to turbine towers, floating bases or substation supports, or including holes in turbine tower designs to provide shelter for young fish and other wildlife;
  • installing artificial reefs to create new seafloor habitats;
  • installing protective enclosures on the seafloor to promote the establishment of target species, or protecting seafloor cables with biorock to mimic natural habitats;
  • establishing no-catch zones or enhanced fisheries management within the wind farm.

  Potential impacts of solar energy projects on the Outstanding Universal Value of World Heritage properties expand_more

  Solar hot water and solar PV energy projects, and concentrated solar power projects

  Examples of the potential impacts caused by the installation of solar hot water and solar PV energy projects on and around buildings are available here.

  Examples of the potential impacts caused by the installation of solar hot water and solar PV energy projects in the landscape are available here.

  Examples of the potential impacts caused by the installation of concentrated solar power projects are available here.

  Potential biodiversity enhancement when installing solar energy projects

  Biodiversity enhancement undertaken for wind and solar energy projects in a World Heritage context is discussed in detail in here, which also outlines good practice principles.

  The following examples are specific to solar energy projects:

  Solar energy systems and other infrastructure only take up part of the total land area of a terrestrial PV or CSP installation. This means that it is thus often possible to manage a solar farm in such a way as to create biodiversity benefits and/or improve ecosystem services, especially for projects built on already converted or degraded land.

  The landscape context will also influence which biodiversity enhancement activities are appropriate. Examples of potential activities include:

  For terrestrial PV and CSP:

  • restoring natural vegetation,
  • planting wildflower meadows to improve pollinator diversity,
  • introducing vegetation to increase connectivity and enable wildlife movements,
  • managing invasive species,
  • creating artificial habitat structures for particular species, e.g., bird and bat boxes, artificial hibernacula, burrows, hollows, refuges, etc.,
  • creating habitats, e.g., engineered ponds or waterscapes as new wetlands (solar only),
  • setting up fencing to protect livestock and reduce human-wildlife conflict,
  • setting up fencing to protect wildlife or vegetation, or to exclude invasive species;

  For floating PV:

  • installing water shading to reduce algal blooms, mitigation of aquatic weed growth, and reduced water evaporation,
  • installing nest platforms or refuges on solar arrays.

  Potential impacts of transmission infrastructure projects on the Outstanding Universal Value of World Heritage properties expand_more

  Transmission infrastructure

  Examples of the potential impacts caused by the installation of transmission infrastructure projects are available here.

  Potential biodiversity enhancement when installing or upgrading transmission infrastructure projects:

  Biodiversity enhancement undertaken for wind and solar energy projects in a World Heritage context is discussed in detail in here, which also outlines good practice principles.

  The following examples are specific to transmission infrastructure projects:

  Overhead transmission lines run within a defined right of way that is clear of other structures. Vegetation is also managed within it to ensure the lines are both safe and accessible. Rights of way are typically around 30 m wide outside built up areas, but this varies (and may be substantially larger) depending on regulations, tower design and landscape context.

  Rights of way can potentially be managed to benefit biodiversity, both locally and through creating ‘green corridors’ that boost ecological connectivity at landscape level. These opportunities are constrained by the need to maintain safety and access. Vegetation in the right of way must be kept relatively low, especially beneath and immediately next to towers and cables, and tracks for maintenance access must be kept clear.

  Nevertheless, studies and experience show that carefully managing vegetation in rights of way can produce significant benefits for biodiversity. For lines running through forests, maintaining low, scrubby natural vegetation (a mix of shrubs and herbaceous plants) can provide valuable habitats for species such as bees that require more open, early successional areas. Planting low growing native species below lines that run through agricultural areas can restore biodiverse habitat strips within the right of way and these can serve as ecological corridors and may also provide pollination and pest-control benefits to adjacent farmland.

  Such approaches are encompassed in the concept of integrated vegetation management (IVM) for rights of way, which requires managers to set clear objectives, identify which kinds of vegetation are compatible with these and evaluate, choose and apply appropriate management methods. IVM aims to create and conserve stable plant communities that are transmission-line compatible. These will often naturally inhibit the development of tall-growing trees that could interfere with the overhead lines. IVM moves away from rigid and inflexible regimes of intensive vegetation control in favour of vegetation management that is suited to local ecological conditions and to benefitting biodiversity. This might, for example, involve cutting vegetation less frequently and applying herbicides in a highly selective (rather than broadcast) way.

• Principles for conducting a World-Heritage-related impact assessment that concerns renewable energy projects expand_more

  In general terms, for changes that could affect World Heritage properties and their Outstanding Universal Value, all impact assessments should follow the principles laid out in the Guidance and Toolkit for Impact Assessments in a World Heritage Context.

  Principles for conducting a World-Heritage-related impact assessment that concerns wind energy projects

  Principle 1: All renewable energy project proposals that may adversely affect a World Heritage property must undergo a rigorous impact assessment (Environmental and Social Impact Assessment [ESIA] or Heritage Impact Asessment, [HIA]), whether they are located within or outside the World Heritage property’s boundaries. This assessment should take place as early as possible in order to provide timely and effective input to decision makers. Assessments that take place late in the decision-making process or after the decision has been made cannot adequately inform decision makers.

  Principle 2: Experts with knowledge about World Heritage in general and specifically about the World Heritage property/properties in question must be closely involved in the assessment process in order to identify issues that will need to be assessed. These experts can also work together with project proponents and engineers to find alternative solutions for proposals that may adversely affect a World Heritage property’s Outstanding Universal Value.

  Principle 3: The likely environmental and social impacts of the development proposal on the property’s Outstanding Universal Value must be assessed; these include direct, indirect and cumulative effects. This assessment should consider the property’s values, integrity and protection and management, as well as its connection to the wider landscape, and should be based on adequate information and data.

  Principle 4: Reasonable alternatives to the project proposal must be identified and assessed with the aim of recommending the most sustainable option to decision makers. The different options should be clearly communicated to decision makers, and those that are least damaging to the site’s Outstanding Universal Value should be highlighted (in some cases, these options include the “no project” option). Very often, it is possible to find economically viable and feasible alternatives to development proposals that may be damaging to a World Heritage property’s Outstanding Universal Value. A detailed and early consideration of alternatives can also help to ensure that resources are not wasted in developing proposals that are incompatible with World Heritage status.

  Principle 5: Mitigation measures should be identified in line with the mitigation hierarchy, which requires first avoiding potential negative impacts and then reducing unavoidable residual impacts through mitigation measures. In the event of the identification of any unavoidable minor residual negative impacts on a World Heritage property’s Outstanding Universal Value, the ESIA/HIA should outline how these will be mitigated and monitored through a budgeted environmental management plan, indicating how the mitigation measures will be implemented, who will implement them, in what time frame and with what resources.

  Principle 6: Special sections on World Heritage must be included in ESIA/HIAs that have a general scope. These sections should present to decision makers clear conclusions on the potential impacts of the wind energy proposal on the World Heritage property’s Outstanding Universal Value, as well as relevant recommendations/measures related to the impacts. They should also be reflected in the Executive Summary of the impact assessment report.

  Principle 7: Information from and results of the assessment must be publicly disclosed and subject to thorough public consultation at all relevant stages. All relevant rights holders, local communities and other stakeholders, including Indigenous Peoples where applicable, should be involved. Feedback from consultation should be fully reflected and documented in the assessment. The relevant government agencies and non-governmental organizations should be involved and consulted early on and throughout the impact assessment process. They will need to be able to review the resulting report.

  Principle 8: Adequate follow-up measures need to be based on information from and results of the impact assessment. This might include the need to propose, implement and independently audit an environmental management plan. The plan should detail operating, monitoring and other relevant conditions in relation to the property’s Outstanding Universal Value. The developer must set aside funds from the outset to cover the costs of follow-up measures, including independent auditing of the implementation of the environmental management plan at regular intervals.

  Adapted from the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) World Heritage Advice Note: Environmental Assessment, Box 2

• Checklists expand_more

  Checklist 1 – Key information needed for an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment for renewable energy projects related to World Heritage

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  Checklist 2 – Baseline assessment of a World Heritage property

  Downloaddownload

  Checklist 3 – Description of a proposed wind energy project

  Downloaddownload

  Checklist 4 – Description of a proposed large-scale solar energy project

  Downloaddownload

  Checklist 5 – Description of a proposed transmission infrastructure project

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  Checklist 6 – Items to be included in an impact assessment report for renewable energy projects related to World Heritage

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  These checklists are linked to the impacts of renewable energy projects and their assessment. They are referenced in this Guidance in relation to the impact assessment process.

Published in 2025 by UNESCO, ICCROM, ICOMOS and IUCN under CC-BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO license

© UNESCO, ICCROM, ICOMOS and IUCN, 2025