Greater Blue Mountains Area

• Air transport infrastructure (construction of the Western Sydney Airport)
• Mining
• Water infrastructure (proposed raising of the Warragamba Dam wall)

Following significant bushfires that affected the property, the State Party submitted reports on the impacts of the bushfires on the property on 22 January and 23 April 2020 respectively. On 18 December 2020, the State Party submitted a report on the state of conservation of the property in response to Decision 43 COM 7B.2, available at http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/917/documents/, followed by an update on 3 June 2021. These report the following:

• The latest estimate of the areas affected by the 2019-2020 bushfires is reported to be 71%. It is further confirmed that a targeted fire-fighting operation prevented significant losses of the Wollemi pine stands, an important attribute of the property’s Outstanding Universal Value (OUV); however, some impacts have occurred. It is estimated that more than 300 threatened or migratory species were affected, including many that are attributes of the property’s OUV. Targeted monitoring programmes to further assess impacts and monitor species’ recovery are being implemented by the New South Wales (NSW) Government. Assessments are also underway to determine the impact on different eucalypt species, whose diversity is one of the key attributes of the property’s OUV. While most of eucalypt species are highly fire adapted, their recovery depends on several factors affecting regeneration;
• There are also significant concerns about impacts on the Aboriginal cultural heritage, and post-fire recovery planning is underway with local Aboriginal communities;
• In January 2020, the Australian Government announced a $AUD 50 million (approximately USD 35 million) bushfire recovery package for immediate interventions and planning of longer-term recovery for wildlife and habitats. Recommendations made by the Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements to strengthen emergency management as well as climate and natural disaster risk reduction are being implemented (see also the report on the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia, under sub-item 7B.89 of the present session);
• Further updates are provided on the recovery investment and programmes, including modelling and mapping of fires risks specifically to the attributes of the OUV of the property and mapping of potential ecological refuge areas;
• Eight mining proposals in the vicinity of the property are subject to environmental assessments under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act. An assessment of cumulative impacts of existing and planned mining projects in the vicinity of the property has been initiated and is being undertaken, with a specific assessment of all stressors that present a risk to the OUV of the property;
• An Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is being prepared for the raising of the Warragamba Dam wall, which is aimed at fully assessing all potential impacts on the OUV of the property and its other values, including Aboriginal cultural heritage, and will be submitted to the World Heritage Centre. A draft EIS has been provided to the NSW and Australian Governments for review, and work is underway to respond to the matters they raised before the EIS is finalized for public consultation. The Australian Government has also requested that the proponent of the project, Water NSW, undertake an analysis of the impacts of the 2019-2020 bushfires, given that 70% of the predicted temporary inundation area were burnt;
• Regarding the Western Sydney Airport, it is reported that that the airspace and flight path design are currently being developed and will subsequently go through an environmental assessment process, expected to commence in 2021;
• A revised draft Strategic Plan for the property, which will consider all potential threats to the property, including from activities outside its boundaries, is further being developed and will be later undergo consultation with Aboriginal communities and the necessary environmental assessments.

The large-scale bushfires that affected this and other Australian World Heritage properties in 2019-2020 are noted with the utmost concern. The comprehensive information provided by the State Party regarding the immediate management responses, the preliminary assessment of impacts, as well as funding commitments and strategies for longer-term recovery is welcomed. The State Party should be commended for its fire-fighting responses, including those specifically targeting some of the attributes of the OUV of the property, such as the Wollemi pine stands. It is recommended that the Committee request the State Party to provide to the World Heritage Centre an update on the process of assessing the impacts of the fires on the OUV of the property and the recovery prospects for the affected attributes, as soon as any significant new information becomes available.

The information provided by the State Party regarding the ongoing preparation of the EIS for the project proposal to raise the Warragamba Dam wall is noted. The World Heritage Centre and IUCN continue to receive third-party information raising concerns about the rigor of the EIS process. It is therefore recommended that the Committee reiterate its request to the State Party to ensure, in line with its previous commitments, that the current process to prepare the EIS fully assesses all potential impacts on the OUV of the property and its other values, including Aboriginal cultural heritage. Given the significant impact of the 2019-2020 bushfires on the property, it will be also particularly important to undertake a thorough further assessment of how potential impacts of the raising of the Wall could exacerbate fire impacts, given that 70% of the predicted temporary inundation area is reported to have burnt. Such an assessment should also consider medium and longer-term recovery prospects of key species and habitats within those areas.

Further updates provided by the State Party regarding the development of the airspace and flight path design for the Western Sydney Airport and its subsequent environmental assessment, an assessment of cumulative impacts of existing and planned mining projects in the vicinity of the property, as well as further development of a revised Strategic Plan for the property, including planned consultation with Aboriginal communities, are noted. It is recommended that the Committee request the State Party to submit these documents and the results of their assessments to the World Heritage Centre, for review by IUCN as soon as they become available.

Given the multiple issues potentially affecting the property and the fact that many impacts of the 2019-2020 bushfires would need to be taken into account in the EIS, it is recommended that the State Party consult IUCN for advice on the development of the EIS planning documents prior to their finalisation, as well as on the development of longer-term bushfire recovery plans for the property. 

As climate change is an increasing threat to this and other World Heritage properties in Australia, the Committee may wish to recall Decision 41 COM 7 (Krakow, 2017), which reiterated the importance of States Parties undertaking the most ambitious implementation of the Paris Agreement of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), and welcome the efforts of the State Party to develop an understanding of projected changes resulting from climate change in relation to the property’s OUV and to strengthen climate and disaster resilience.

Acknowledging that two World Heritage properties in Australia were particularly affected by the 2019-2020 bushfire season (i.e. the Greater Blue Mountains Area and the Gondwana Rainforests), the efforts made through the Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements to look at lessons learned, develop recommendations on how to strengthen emergency management as well as climate and natural disaster risk reduction, and implement reforms based on experience are appreciated.

The State Party should be encouraged to share the lessons learned with other States Parties facing similar threats (also see Section II.F of Document WHC/21/44.COM/7), promoting knowledge exchange on fire management strategies for natural World Heritage properties.