Take advantage of the search to browse through the World Heritage Centre information.

Understanding World Heritage

© UNESCO
Download PDF of this page

This part of the Guidance is designed to introduce World Heritage to those who are not familiar with its concepts.
This section explains the basics of the World Heritage Convention (1972) so that readers of this Guidance may better understand both its spirit and its underlying principles. Full information on these concepts is available in the primary source materials: the text of the World Heritage Convention and the Operational Guidelines for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention. For World Heritage experts and stakeholders, a wide range of specific resource manuals are available on the website of the UNESCO World Heritage Centre related to the protection and management of World Heritage.

  • The Convention for the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage usually referred to as the World Heritage Convention, was adopted in 1972 by the UNESCO General Conference. It is an international treaty that seeks to identify, protect, conserve, present and transmit heritage properties of Outstanding Universal Value to future generations. The World Heritage Convention is rooted in the recognition that places with an Outstanding Universal Value belong to humanity as their importance transcends national boundaries and they are irreplaceable and play a crucial role in the well-being of humankind. The international community recognizes the capacity of heritage to promote mutual understanding and appreciation and build peace.

    Therefore, as stated in one of the preambular paragraphs of the Convention, the ‘deterioration or disappearance of any item of the cultural or natural heritage constitutes a harmful impoverishment of the heritage of all the nations of the world’.

    With 196 States Parties as of 2025, the World Heritage Convention is today one of the most ratified international treaties in history and reflects the shared commitment of States Parties to protect all World Heritage properties included on UNESCO’s World Heritage List for present and future generations.

  • By ratifying the Convention, each State Party pledges to participate in its implementation. This involves both international cooperation and assistance, to conserve World Heritage properties. States Parties must also assume the responsibility of protecting the heritage located in their territories. The Convention sets out the duties of States Parties ‘to take the appropriate legal, scientific, technical, administrative and financial measures necessary for the identification, protection, conservation, presentation and rehabilitation of this heritage’ (Article 5 of the Convention). States Parties to the Convention are encouraged to integrate the protection of the cultural and natural heritage into national, regional and local planning programmes, set up adequately staffed services at their World Heritage properties, undertake scientific and technical conservation research, and adopt measures that give World Heritage a function in the day-to-day life of communities. This commitment extends to the context of new developments and constructions.

    Important commitments that States Parties undertake when they become signatories to the World Heritage Convention are outlined in Articles 4 and 5 of the Convention.

    Article 4

    Each State Party to this Convention recognizes that the duty of ensuring the identification, protection, conservation, presentation and transmission to future generations of the cultural and natural heritage referred to in Articles 1 and 2 and situated on its territory, belongs primarily to that State. It will do all it can to this end, to the utmost of its own resources and, where appropriate, with any international assistance and co-operation, in particular, financial, artistic, scientific and technical, which it may be able to obtain.

    Article 5

    To ensure that effective and active measures are taken for the protection, conservation and presentation of the cultural and natural heritage situated on its territory, each State Party to this Convention shall endeavour, in so far as possible, and as appropriate for each country:

    • to adopt a general policy which aims 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;
    • to set up within its territories, where such services do not exist, one or more services for the protection, conservation and presentation of the cultural and natural heritage with an appropriate staff and possessing the means to discharge their functions;
    • to develop scientific and technical studies and research and to work out such operating methods as will make the State capable of counteracting the dangers that threaten its cultural or natural heritage;
    • to take the appropriate legal, scientific, technical, administrative and financial measures necessary for the identification, protection, conservation, presentation and rehabilitation of this heritage;
    • to foster the establishment or development of national or regional centres for training in the protection, conservation and presentation of the cultural and natural heritage and to encourage scientific research in this field.

    Therefore, each State Party to the Convention shall try to protect the Outstanding Universal Value of World Heritage properties. Such protection needs to be upheld even when transitioning to renewable energies in order to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and resultant anthropogenic climate change.

  • The decision-making and governing bodies of the Convention are the General Assembly of States Parties to the World Heritage Convention and the World Heritage Committee. The latter decides, among other issues, whether or not to inscribe a site nominated by a Member State on the World Heritage List. The Committee also examines the state of conservation of properties inscribed on the World Heritage List, through a process in which States Parties provide periodic reports on World Heritage properties and notify the Committee of any planned projects that may affect their Outstanding Universal Value. The Committee has developed and regularly updates the Operational Guidelines for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention(Operational Guidelines). This document provides the formal guidance and provisions on how the Convention is implemented and how its mission is fulfilled.

    The work of the World Heritage Committee is supported by UNESCO’s World Heritage Centre, which acts as the Secretariat of the World Heritage Convention, and by three Advisory Bodies – the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM), the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

  • The World Heritage List includes cultural, natural and mixed (cultural and natural) properties that have met at least one of ten criteria for the assessment of Outstanding Universal Value as well as requirements for authenticity and integrity, and protection and management. States Parties nominate sites located in their territories for inscription on the World Heritage List. These nominations undergo an evaluation process and can only be inscribed on the List by the World Heritage Committee. After inscription, the sites are referred to as World Heritage properties and their state of conservation is monitored and regularly reported on.

    An inventory of sites which each State Party considers suitable for nomination to the World Heritage List is published on the website of the World Heritage Centre as a tentative list (Operational Guidelines, para. 62–76). The preparation of a tentative list is the basis for a nomination process. Sites added to the tentative list need to be considered by a State Party of potential Outstanding Universal Value.

    Any development projects – including renewable energy projects and installations – that are planned or underway and that may potentially impact a site’s potential Outstanding Universal Value must be taken into consideration when a State Party prepares to nominate a site for the tentative list. This reflects awareness and allows for the development of measures to protect the site.

    Further guidance on the preparation of tentative lists can be found in paragraphs 62 to 67 of the Operational Guidelines. For more information, see also the Guidance on Developing and Revising World Heritage Tentative Lists.

  • World Heritage properties are inscribed on the World Heritage List for their exceptional cultural and/or natural value for all humanity. This value is described as the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of a place. The Outstanding Universal Value is endorsed by the World Heritage Committee in the Statement of Outstanding Universal Value (SOUV), usually at the time of inscription.
    The concept of Outstanding Universal Value is at the heart of the World Heritage system. It has been revised and reviewed over the years to better reflect the significance and meaning of heritage to humanity. Consequently, World Heritage has come to include new categories of heritage and broadened perspectives to achieve a more inclusive recognition of heritage significance.

    A natural or cultural heritage place (or somewhere with both natural and cultural values, called a mixed property) is inscribed on the World Heritage List by the World Heritage Committee if:

    1. it meets one or more criteria for cultural and/or natural heritage;
    2. it meets the qualifying condition(s) of integrity and authenticity (that of authenticity is applicable only to cultural and mixed sites); and
    3. it has adequate protection and management in place to ensure the long-term protection of the property.

    The above is often referred to as the three ‘pillars’ of Outstanding Universal Value.

    The Statement of Outstanding Universal Value (SOUV) is a short narrative text that describes the Outstanding Universal Value and key attributes of the World Heritage property at the time of inscription. It summarizes the reasons why a property is considered to be of Outstanding Universal Value, how it satisfies the relevant criteria, the conditions of integrity and (for cultural properties) authenticity, and how it meets the requirements for protection and management in order to sustain Outstanding Universal Value and its attributes in the long term. It serves as a brief description of the Outstanding Universal Value, including the tangible and intangible attributes that express and convey the property’s Outstanding Universal Value (Operational Guidelines, para. 155). This statement is made at the time of inscription and does not change. This means that the definition of the Outstanding Universal Value and attributes remains valid, while the description of the management and protection of the property may become outdated if a property has been inscribed for several years.

    The World Heritage Centre’s website includes a section dedicated to each World Heritage property, including its Statement of Outstanding Universal Value. World Heritage properties are listed by country and each property has a page where its Statement of Outstanding Universal Value, approved by the World Heritage Committee, can be found.

    As-Salt - The Place of Tolerance and Urban Hospitality (Jordan)

    Lake Turkana National Parks (Kenya)

    Cosmological Axis of Yogyakarta and its Historic Landmarks (Indonesia)

    Kronborg Castle (Denmark)

    Chiribiquete National Park – “The Maloca of the Jaguar” (Colombia)

    Criteria for inscription

    World Heritage properties are inscribed on the World Heritage List under at least one of the ten criteria for inscription on the World Heritage List. The criteria justify why a place is worth being inscribed on the World Heritage List.

    Criteria (i) to (vi) refer to the cultural values of properties whereas criteria (vii) to (x) apply to the natural values of properties. Mixed World Heritage properties must meet at least one cultural and one natural criterion.

    1. All properties nominated for inscription on the World Heritage List shall satisfy the conditions of integrity.
    2. Integrity is a measure of the wholeness and intactness of the natural and/or cultural heritage and its attributes. Examining the conditions of integrity, therefore requires assessing the extent to which the property:
      1. includes all elements necessary to express its Outstanding Universal Value;
      2. is of adequate size to ensure the complete representation of the features and processes which convey the property’s significance;
      3. suffers from adverse effects of development and/or neglect.

      This should be presented in a statement of integrity.

    3. For properties nominated under criteria (i) to (vi), the physical fabric of the property and/or its significant features should be in good condition, and the impact of deterioration processes controlled. A significant proportion of the elements necessary to convey the totality of the value conveyed by the property should be included. Relationships and dynamic functions present in cultural landscapes, historic towns or other living properties essential to their distinctive character should also be maintained.
    4. For all properties nominated under criteria (vii) - (x), bio-physical processes and landform features should be relatively intact. However, it is recognized that no area is totally pristine and that all natural areas are in a dynamic state, and to some extent involve contact with people. Biological diversity and cultural diversity can be closely linked and interdependent and human activities, including those of traditional societies, local communities and indigenous peoples, often occur in natural areas. These activities may be consistent with the Outstanding Universal Value of the area where they are ecologically sustainable.
    5. In addition, for properties nominated under criteria (vii) to (x), a corresponding condition of integrity has been defined for each criterion.

    6. Properties proposed under criterion (vii) should be of Outstanding Universal Value and include areas that are essential for maintaining the beauty of the property. For example, a property whose scenic value depends on a waterfall, would meet the conditions of integrity if it includes adjacent catchment and downstream areas that are integrally linked to the maintenance of the aesthetic qualities of the property.

    7. Properties proposed under criterion (viii) should contain all or most of the key interrelated and interdependent elements in their natural relationships. For example, an ‘ice age’ area would meet the conditions of integrity if it includes the snow field, the glacier itself and samples of cutting patterns, deposition and colonization (e.g. striations, moraines, pioneer stages of plant succession, etc.); in the case of volcanoes, the magmatic series should be complete and all or most of the varieties of effusive rocks and types of eruptions be represented.

    8. Properties proposed under criterion (ix) should have sufficient size and contain the necessary elements to demonstrate the key aspects of processes that are essential for the long term conservation of the ecosystems and the biological diversity they contain. For example, an area of tropical rain forest would meet the conditions of integrity if it includes a certain amount of variation in elevation above sea level, changes in topography and soil types, patch systems and naturally regenerating patches; similarly a coral reef should include, for example, seagrass, mangrove or other adjacent ecosystems that regulate nutrient and sediment inputs into the reef.

    9. Properties proposed under criterion (x) should be the most important properties for the conservation of biological diversity. Only those properties which are the most biologically diverse and/or representative are likely to meet this criterion. The properties should contain habitats for maintaining the most diverse fauna and flora characteristic of the bio-geographic province and ecosystems under consideration. For example, a tropical savannah would meet the conditions of integrity if it includes a complete assemblage of co-evolved herbivores and plants; an island ecosystem should include habitats for maintaining endemic biota; a property containing wide ranging species should be large enough to include the most critical habitats essential to ensure the survival of viable populations of those species; for an area containing migratory species, seasonal breeding and nesting sites, and migratory routes, wherever they are located, should be adequately protected.

    (Operational Guidelines, para. 87–95)

    The integrity of a World Heritage property is an important consideration for natural, cultural and mixed properties and should be evaluated in an impact assessment. This may relate to the morphological or visual characteristics of associated infrastructures in the wider setting of a World Heritage property that may alter or dominate or intrude on the existing morphological, structural, functional and visual characteristics of the property. For natural World Heritage properties consideration should be given to the ecosystem integrity, among other factors.

    Renewable energy installations can have high negative impacts on the integrity of World Heritage properties. The height and dimension of wind turbines, large-scale solar installations and high-tension transmission infrastructure do not easily merge into a traditional landscape or townscape as they are likely to interfere with important viewpoints and vistas. Indeed, renewable energy facilities and installations can change the sense of a place in such a strong way that it can threaten the integrity of a property.

    See also NOTE 4

    For further information on visual aspects related to Outstanding Universal Value, see paragraphs 104 and 112 of the Operational Guidelines and consult the Report of the International Expert Meeting on Visual Integrity (Agra, India, 6–9 March 2013).

    Authenticity can be compromised, for instance by unsuitable conservation works and the physical negligence of a site, as well as by ignoring the key aspects and sources of information through which the property and its attributes express heritage values. The disappearance of cultural traditions and the fragmentation of communities could also be compromising factors.
    Depending on the characteristics of a site, wind and solar projects and installations have the potential to negatively affect the authenticity of a property if not planned and conducted with the necessary prudence and care.

    For instance, the construction works for the foundations of wind turbines or landscape grading to accommodate a solar PV array can affect the long-term preservation of unexcavated archaeological heritage and may threaten the authenticity of cultural World Heritage properties. In the same way, the installation of solar hot water systems can lead to a loss of historically important fabric, thereby reducing the integrity of a monument. See also the ‘overall impacts of wind energy projects’

    The Statement of Outstanding Universal Value (SOUV) is an essential reference for the conservation and management of the World Heritage property and serves several purposes, as it ideally:

    • provides information on the Outstanding Universal Value and attributes of the property;
    • guides the assessment of the state of conservation of a property;
    • summarizes the baseline condition for the identification and protection of a property’s attributes, which forms the basis for monitoring the property on the national level and for Reactive Monitoring processes and periodic reporting;
    • provides information for any decision-making concerning interventions that might have an impact on a World Heritage property.

    The Statement of Outstanding Universal Value serves as the baseline for any monitoring activity henceforward; any benchmarking should be done in view of and against this baseline. The same baseline also accounts for impact assessments that concern World Heritage properties. Nevertheless, there are special cases in which a site is inscribed on the World Heritage List in a vulnerable condition regarding its integrity, in which case management actions need to be undertaken to improve its conditions prior to establishing baselines.

    Before planning renewable energy or transmission infrastructure projects in or near World Heritage properties, proponents should assess whether the site has any visual, physical, functional or social connections to a World Heritage property. These links may extend far beyond the property’s boundaries and buffer zones, depending on the wider setting. Local and regional planning tools may contain relevant information.

    • Early consultation with World Heritage site management authorities helps to align the project with conservation objectives and ensures transparent dialogue with communities and stakeholders from the outset.
    • Residents near World Heritage sites should contact local authorities or site managers for guidance before installing renewable infrastructure.
    • If a project may affect a World Heritage property, its buffer zone or its wider setting, proponents must gather information on the property’s Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) and ensure a specific impact assessment is conducted.
    • Stakeholder mapping and early engagement with local communities, rights holders, environmental and heritage authorities, and other stakeholders are essential for both large- and small-scale projects.
    • The Statement of Outstanding Universal Value and nomination dossier are key resources for identifying the property’s attributes. However, gaps in detail may require additional engagement with site managers and experts. See also Tool 1 in the Guidance and Toolkit for Impact Assessments in a World Heritage Context

    Attributes conveying Outstanding Universal Value

    Attributes are the elements of a heritage place that convey its heritage/conservation values and enable an understanding of those values. They can be physical qualities, material fabric and other tangible features, but can also be intangible aspects such as processes, social arrangements or cultural practices, as well as associations and relationships that are reflected in physical elements of the property (Guidance and Toolkit for Impact Assessments in a World Heritage Context; Glossary). As attributes are generally the subject of legal protection, they are central to impact assessment methodologies.

    The identification of tangible and intangible attributes conveying the Outstanding Universal Value of a World Heritage property and their systematic mapping (in the sense of collecting and arranging information and being able to locate attributes geographically) is a helpful tool for the property’s long-term protection and management. Attributes often contain multiple heritage values and thus all should be considered, including other heritage values that are not part of, but may be supporting, a property’s Outstanding Universal Value.

    The identified set of attributes of a property is useful for:

    • establishing an adequate management system or drawing up a management plan setting out the elements, including processes, social arrangements or cultural practices, that need to be maintained in order to sustain its Outstanding Universal Value;
    • monitoring its state of conservation; and
    • conducting any type of impact assessment, as it defines the elements against which potential impacts on its Outstanding Universal Value should be assessed (including the assessment of the scale of positive or negative impacts and the proposal of potential mitigation measures).

    Having a commonly agreed-to set of attributes also facilitates understanding for all actors and enables a participatory governance approach for the protection and management of World Heritage properties.

    For the evaluation of the possible impacts of renewable energy projects and transmission infrastructure, relevant attributes need to be examined on a case-by-case basis, including with a consideration for the different phases of the project’s life cycle, whether a formal impact assessment is undertaken or not, considering:

    • planning (siting) and commissioning,
    • construction,
    • operation and maintenance with potential lifetime extension and repowering,
    • end of life, decommissioning with dismantling, removal and restoration/rehabilitation.

    Each of these phases may have different impacts on the built and natural environment, in particular habitats and species, and possible seasonal patterns such as the agricultural cycle.

    The condition of attributes can serve as an indicator for assessing the overall vulnerability of a World Heritage property, also with regard to renewable energy developments or installations.

    Before approving renewable energy or transmission infrastructure projects near a World Heritage property, it is essential to understand the specific features that give the property its Outstanding Universal Value (OUV). These features – known as attributes – form the basis for determining potential impacts. Attributes may be tangible (e.g., architecture, landscapes, urban form) or intangible (e.g., cultural practices, symbolic meanings, traditional use).

    Why this matters?

    • Impact assessments predict how a proposed project might affect the attributes of a World Heritage property.
    • Understanding all relevant attributes – both potentially directly or indirectly affected by a proposal – is necessary to assess impact meaningfully.

    Therefore, it is essential to identify attributes so as to determine whether a proposed renewable energy project has the potential to affect the Outstanding Universal Value of a World Heritage property.

    Identifying attributes

    • New nomination files must include a detailed list of attributes (see Annex 5 of the Operational Guidelines ).
    • Properties inscribed before these requirements may not have a full inventory and are encouraged to create one.
    • The periodic reporting process helps to update and complete these lists, including attributes that may have been previously overlooked.

    Who should be involved?

    • National heritage authorities lead the identification process.
    • Site managers, heritage experts, local communities and other stakeholders should be consulted and encouraged to participate.
    • Attributes related to other heritage values (not just those linked to Outstanding Universal Value) should also be assessed systematically.

    Why mapping attributes helps?

    The mapping and inventory of attributes will:

    • highlight the spatial connections between a property and its buffer zone (if there is one defined) and the wider setting,
    • help to clarify spatial connections between the property, its buffer zone (if applicable) and the wider setting,
    • support early-stage planning to identify areas more or less suitable for renewable energy development,
    • reveal vulnerabilities and sensitivities relevant to project design.

    arrow_forward See also Tool 1 in the Guidance and Toolkit for Impact Assessments in a World Heritage Context and the accompanying note

    How to describe attributes?

    - Use clear, plain language so all stakeholders – including the public and developers – can understand.

    - Tailor the level of detail to the scale of the project.

    • For wind farms: consider broad impacts on landscapes, panoramas and building complexes.
    • For rooftop solar PV: assess effects on individual buildings, views or design elements.

    Clear communication and an early identification of attributes are key to ensuring both effective impact assessments and the long-term protection of World Heritage properties.

    Other heritage values

    In addition to their Outstanding Universal Value, World Heritage properties may also have other heritage values, some of which may be strongly linked to their Outstanding Universal Value. It is therefore significantly important to also consider these values. The protection of heritage is linked to complex systems. It is therefore important to assess these other values and attributes, some of which may be crucial for the protection of Outstanding Universal Value, even if they are not part of it. For example, the integrity of certain cultural landscapes and extended cultural properties depends on a stable ecosystem, which prevents erosion or allows traditional practices to continue. It is thus important to assess the impact of projects on these other important heritage values as well, in order to ensure the integrity of Outstanding Universal Value.

    These values can be particularly important to rights holders (including Indigenous Peoples) and stakeholders at the international, national, regional and local levels. These could be heritage values according to formal designations or be recognized by communities. Nevertheless, they are vital for the effective planning and management of World Heritage properties and their wider setting. It is therefore important to have a comprehensive understanding of these heritage values and their relationships to Outstanding Universal Value to ensure that society is able to receive the benefits of protection and management. National agencies should thus also identify those heritage values that are not strictly linked to Outstanding Universal Value and share the information at local, regional and national levels, as well as with the project proponents.

    See also information about the importance of other values here

    Protection and management

    In line with the provisions of the World Heritage Convention, all World Heritage properties need adequate long-term legislative, regulatory, institutional and/or customary protection and management to ensure their safeguarding. The most effective, highest level of national protection should be provided for the property itself from a legal perspective. Wherever necessary for its appropriate protection, further protection could be put in place through the creation of a buffer zone or similar mechanisms that establish complementary legal and/or customary restrictions for development inside or nearby vulnerable areas.

    Effective management plays a central role in ensuring the long-term protection of World Heritage properties, including their Outstanding Universal Value and other heritage values. The States Parties to the Convention have also adopted various policy instruments to assist with the implementation of the Convention, including the Policy Document for the Integration of a Sustainable Development Perspective into the Processes of the World Heritage Convention. This policy document stipulates that the management system of a site – be it natural, cultural or mixed – should integrate sustainable development principles. Moreover, the management plan or system should cover buffer zones and the wider setting of the site. See also the ‘Spatial definition of World Heritage properties …’

    World Heritage management plans (which often document the management system of World Heritage properties, among other content) are a good source of information for project proponents and all right holders and stakeholders in general. Besides information about the Outstanding Universal Value and attributes of World Heritage properties, the document might provide mechanisms that support intersectoral dialogue and tools to facilitate early planning, for instance, through the early detection of conflicting interests. Nevertheless, information relevant to project proponents and individuals such as building owners might be included in other national data sources (inventories/databases, cadastres, spatial planning tools, guidance documents, etc.), local plans and policies and regulations and municipal guidelines.

    Planning renewable energy projects or transmission infrastructure near a World Heritage property requires close alignment with the property’s management system. This helps to ensure that the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property is respected and protected throughout the project lifecycle.

    What should project proponents do?

    • Ensure the project does not negatively affect the Outstanding Universal Value of the property.
    • Review local and national development plans for World-Heritage-related information.
    • Consult with site managers, rights holders and relevant agencies to understand legal and institutional heritage protection frameworks.
    • Identify any spatial overlap with World Heritage areas or traditional lands and engage affected communities early.

    What is the role of institutions?

    • Managers, including site managers, local authorities and national bodies, define the frameworks for renewable energy development.
    • They can support alignment through:
      1. inventories of heritage attributes,
      2. clear planning and consulting guidelines,
      3. mechanisms for dialogue with stakeholders.

    These efforts facilitate energy development while safeguarding Outstanding Universal Value of World Heritage properties.

    What about impact assessments?

    • An impact assessment must be conducted for any project that could affect a property’s Outstanding Universal Value. The Guidance and Toolkit for Impact Assessment in a World Heritage Context provides a step-by-step method that is appropriate to the assessment of project proposals that could affect the Outstanding Universal Value of a World Heritage property. See also the Assessing Impacts section
    • Priority should be given to avoiding negative impacts, including by selecting alternative sites or by altering the design of the project.
    • This is in line with paragraphs 110 and 118bis of the Operational Guidelines.

    International responsibilities

    • According to paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines, States Parties must inform the World Heritage Committee about any planned major works that may affect a property’s Outstanding Universal Value
    • Renewable energy proposals, including those in buffer zones or wider settings, should be shared with UNESCO’s World Heritage Centre early in the planning phase.

  • World Heritage properties

    World Heritage properties must have clearly defined boundaries, as required by the Operational Guidelines. Boundaries are key for the effective protection and management of a World Heritage property. The Outstanding Universal Value and all its attributes will need to be included within the boundaries of the property. The World Heritage area must also have the most effective national protection possible from a legal perspective (usually a protection that falls under the regulation for cultural and/or natural heritage protection) and management must be aligned with the requirements set out in the Operational Guidelines.

    Maps of the boundaries of all World Heritage properties and their buffer zones (if defined) are available on the World Heritage Centre website. Additionally, these are usually included in national databases and, in many cases, databases based on geographic information systems (GIS) for protected cultural and/or natural heritage areas and assets (archaeological sites, listed buildings, monuments, protected historic towns, cities and areas, natural habitats, nature parks, etc.). National, regional and local authorities should refer to these official sources of information when evaluating project applications or creating guidelines and frameworks for renewable energy developments. Likewise, the areas of World Heritage properties should be included in spatial planning documents, zoning maps and development regulations and controls. This ensures their consideration both by the proponents of wind and solar energy projects when choosing a location for their project and by the decision-making national, regional and local authorities when evaluating planning applications and formulating policies and regulations.

    Some World Heritage properties are ‘transboundary’ sites. In such cases, the area of the property and its buffer zone (if any) is situated in the territory of more than one neighbouring country (State Party) while forming one continuous area.

    World Heritage properties could also be part of so-called ‘serial properties’. Such properties comprise several distinct components that may be situated in one or several countries. In the latter case, the property is then referred to as a serial ‘transnational’ or, in particular cases, ‘transregional’ World Heritage property.

    Buffer zone(s)

    A buffer zone is an officially defined area surrounding a World Heritage property that is equipped with adequate legal and management functions to provide an added layer of protection to the Outstanding Universal Value of the property. This generally includes the immediate setting of a property and encompasses important views and other areas that are functionally important for protecting the property. They could be areas protected at the national level in order to fulfil their supportive role for the World Heritage property. Buffer zones should be an integral part of the management system of a World Heritage property, with complementary legal and/or customary frameworks and management provisions to control development and land use.

    The legal protective measures in place in the buffer zone will differ from those put in place for the World Heritage property. However, buffer zones need to be taken into consideration as spatial planning and zoning mechanisms during planning and decision-making processes. In this context, the potential of buffer zones to protect the Outstanding Universal Value of a property should be fully harnessed. Buffer zones need to be understood not only as an added layer of protection for Outstanding Universal Value, but also as a planning tool to enhance mutual benefits for local and other concerned communities.

    Many World Heritage properties are now included in the World Heritage Online Map Platform, a monitoring platform that displays the georeferenced and verified boundaries of World Heritage properties and their buffer zones (if any) on different basemaps.

    See as examples:

    Wider setting

    While the buffer zone consists of the immediate setting of a site, the wider setting is the extended environment of a World Heritage property and it is part of, or contributes to, the property’s significance and distinctive character.

    Paragraph 112 of the Operational Guidelines refers to the setting as being potentially related to a property through its:

    • topography (e.g., hills, mountains, rivers),
    • natural environment (e.g., the character and type of the surrounding landscape and/or seascape),
    • built environment (e.g., links between historic buildings and urban areas),
    • infrastructure,
    • land-use patterns,
    • spatial organization,
    • visual relationships (between attributes and the setting),
    • social and cultural practices,
    • economic processes,
    • other intangible dimensions of heritage, including perceptions and associations (e.g., historical, artistic, literary, scenic).

    While delineated by boundaries and protected by their buffer zones, World Heritage properties are not isolated entities. On the contrary, properties are strongly connected to their surroundings and beyond through physical and spatial connections; they are part of physical, economic, cultural, spiritual and social processes and practices (customs; traditional knowledge, use and activities; spiritual practices and other forms of intangible heritage aspects), ecosystems, communities and societies that exist beyond any borders. Their Outstanding Universal Value is thus supported by these interdependencies and relationships.

    The wider setting often ‘stage’ a property in its landscape, or host important ecological processes that support its biodiversity or cultural practices. Accordingly, changes in these areas have the potential to directly or indirectly impact Outstanding Universal Value.

    Although its identification is not a statutory obligation, the wider setting of a property may play an important role in supporting the protection of a property’s Outstanding Universal Value. This role should be considered in both management and planning proposals and especially in impact assessment processes. The Operational Guidelines underline the importance of ‘[a]n integrated approach to planning and management […] to guide the evolution of properties over time and to ensure maintenance of all aspects of their Outstanding Universal Value.’ It also highlights that ‘[t]his approach goes beyond the property to include any buffer zone(s), as well as the wider setting’ (Operational Guidelines, para. 112).

    While it is rather rare to find proposals for large-scale renewable energy projects within a World Heritage property and its buffer zones, proposals for development in the so-called ‘wider setting’ are much more frequent.

    The ‘wider setting’ of a World Heritage property refers to its broader environment, which may play a vital role in supporting the property’s Outstanding Universal Value (OUV). Identifying this setting is essential for effective impact assessment, planning and long-term protection.

    Core principles

    According to the World Heritage resource manual Preparing World Heritage Nominations, if a setting contributes to Outstanding Universal Value, it should be part of the inscribed property or its buffer zone. If it supports appreciation of Outstanding Universal Value but does not form part of it, it should still be protected, ideally through inclusion in a buffer zone.

    • The Xi’an Declaration adopted in Xi'an (People's Republic of China), by the 15th General Assembly of ICOMOS on 21 October 2005, defines setting as not just the visual or physical surroundings, but also social, spiritual, ecological and cultural interactions that give a place its character and meaning.

    Context matters

    The area considered part of the wider setting will vary depending on the purpose: daily management, project impact assessment or disaster risk planning. In some cases, seasonal or ecological factors must also be considered, such as bird migration routes extending beyond the property and its buffer zone.

    Why it matters for project planning?

    Understanding the wider setting allows for better planning, reduces risks and supports responsible development.

    • Strategic Environmental Assessments can help to integrate setting considerations into policies and planning. ( ➔ See also ‘Strategic Environmental Assessment’ in ASSESSING IMPACTS section )

    Examples of how the wider setting can influence World Heritage protection

    Understanding the wider setting of a World Heritage property means looking beyond its official boundaries or buffer zone. The following examples show how this broader context can be critical.

    Hydrological systems (e.g., lakes, wetlands, rivers)
    If a World Heritage property includes a lake or wetland, its health and integrity often depend on rivers or streams flowing into it, even if those waterways are located outside the property or buffer zone. For example, pollution, damming or water diversions upstream could degrade the ecological balance of the lake or wetland, indirectly impacting the property’s Outstanding Universal Value (OUV).

    Migratory bird routes and renewable energy projects

    Large-scale wind farms or concentred solar power (CSP) plants located many kilometres from a World Heritage property can still interfere with bird migration paths. If the site’s Outstanding Universal Value includes birdlife (such as a wetland critical for nesting or feeding), developments along migratory flyways – even far beyond the property’s boundaries – can pose serious threats. For example, turbines placed along key flight corridors may lead to bird collisions or the disruption of natural patterns.

    Cultural landscapes and visual integrity

    A cultural landscape inscribed as a World Heritage property may derive part of its value from broad, scenic views such as terraced vineyards overlooking a valley or historic skylines framed by rural countryside. If new developments (e.g., a solar farm or tall infrastructure) are constructed within that visual corridor – even outside the buffer zone – they could disrupt these views and diminish the experience and understanding of the property’s values.

    Seasonal and Functional Use Areas

    In properties where traditional uses and practices such as grazing, pilgrimages and traditional farming contribute to Outstanding Universal Value, the wider setting may include areas used only during certain seasons or events. These functional relationships must be considered in planning, as disrupting them can weaken the living heritage connected to the site.

    Tools and recommendations

    • Vulnerability assessments and maps of sensitive areas help to identify development and exclusion zones.
    • These tools promote transparency, guide responsible planning and provide certainty to developers and decision-makers.
      ➔ See also NOTE 1

    The relationship between the wider setting and project planning

    The spatial boundaries of World Heritage properties and their implications for protection and management have a high importance from the project planning perspective. Because the Outstanding Universal Value of a World Heritage property is closely linked to the property’s boundaries, the potential impacts of planned and proposed changes or projects outside these well-defined and mapped areas may fail to attract attention from project proponents. Nevertheless, proposed changes, developments or projects planned outside the boundaries and the buffer zone could have a strong influence on the property’s Outstanding Universal Value and the attributes conveying it. All proposals with the potential to negatively impact heritage – be these located outside the defined boundaries and in the wider setting of a World Heritage property – will therefore need to be evaluated through an impact assessment.

    For many World Heritage properties, achieving sustainable development will require acting at a scale that is much larger than the property itself. In the process, some dimensions of sustainable development may prove to be of greater use and relevance than others. Thus, States Parties should integrate conservation and management approaches for World Heritage properties within their larger national and regional planning frameworks, giving consideration to World Heritage requirements and the integrity of socioecological systems.

    Planning wind or large-scale solar projects near a World Heritage property involves more than just checking maps. It requires understanding the full spatial context – especially the often overlooked wider setting.

    The wider setting may not be mapped but must be considered

    In many countries, planning documents do not define or protect the wider settings of World Heritage properties. Yet, these areas can still significantly contribute to the property’s Outstanding Universal Value (OUV). For this reason, the impact assessment process – particularly the scoping phase – must identify this setting for each individual project with the support of property managers.

    • ➔ See also ‘Scoping’ in the Guidance in the Guidance and Toolkit for Impact Assessments in a World Heritage Context

    Impacts can occur from a distance

    Project proponents and planners should recognize that wind and solar energy installations – especially large-scale ones – can affect a World Heritage property even if placed far away. These impacts may come from:

    • visual intrusions into culturally important landscapes or viewsheds,
    • disruptions of ecological systems or migratory routes,
    • disturbances of intangible heritage expressions,
    • secondary infrastructure such as access roads, marine traffic or service buildings.

    Evidence-based decisions build trust

    Project siting must be guided by clear evidence. Tools such as landscape sensitivity maps, impact assessments and vulnerability studies are essential to understanding risks and balancing development with protection. Transparent and inclusive planning creates trust among:

    • developers,
    • site managers,
    • heritage experts,
    • rights holders and communities.

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

© UNESCO, ICCROM, ICOMOS and IUCN, 2025

top