Decision 40 COM 7A.49

East Rennell (Solomon Islands) (N 854)

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/16/40.COM/7A.Add.2,
2. Recalling Decision 39 COM 7A.16, adopted at its 39th session (Bonn, 2015),
3. Regrets that the State Party did not submit a report on the state of conservation of the property, as requested by the Committee;
4. Takes note that a joint World Heritage Centre/IUCN Advisory mission visited the property to meet the customary owners and to assist the State Party in the preparation of the Desired state of conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger (DSOCR), but also regrets that the State Party did not submit a proposal for the DSOCR and requests the State Party to submit it by 1 February 2017, for adoption by the World Heritage Committee at its 41st session in 2017;
5. Encourages the State Party to develop an Action Plan which would prioritize local communities and alternative income generating mechanisms that derive benefits from the conservation of the property’s Outstanding Universal Value (OUV);
6. Urges the State Party to expedite the completion and implementation of the revised Management Plan for the property and also requests the State Party to submit an electronic and three printed copies of the draft revised Management Plan to the World Heritage Centre for review by IUCN;
7. Further requests the State Party to provide detailed information on all proposed bauxite mining projects on Rennell Island, including the Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) of each project, as well as an assessment of their potential cumulative impacts on the OUV of the property, in conformity with IUCN’s World Heritage Advice Note on Environmental Assessment;
8. Reiterates its requests to the State Party to:
   1. Defer consideration of bauxite mining license applications until the new management plan for the property has been approved and is being implemented,
   2. Put in place interim measures to mitigate the impact of existing logging operations and halt new logging operations until the new management plan has been approved and is being implemented,
   3. Undertake urgent action to halt the further spread of rats on Rennell Island and prevent them from entering the property, to put in place the biosecurity controls necessary to prevent further introductions of invasive species to the island;
9. Requests furthermore the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2017, an updated report on the state of conservation of the property and the implementation of the above, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 41st session in 2017;
10. Decides to retain East Rennell (Solomon Islands) on the List of World Heritage in Danger.