The World Heritage Committee,
- Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7A,
- Recalling Decision 43 COM 7A.3, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
- Welcomes the progress achieved in implementing the 2006 corrective measures and notes with satisfaction that the implementation of the Combined Operational Plan is expected to start in August 2020;
- Commends the State Party for continuing to implement the next generation of restoration projects in order to achieve the Desired state of conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger (DSOCR), and also notes with satisfaction the additional funding commitments of over USD 4.5 billion, already made for the next years;
- Regrets that not all 14 DSOCR indicators are reported on, and encourages the State Party to report using its previous table format to track relative progress in achieving the DSOCR;
- Appreciates the continued efforts on the management of invasive alien species (IAS) and update of the Strategic Action Framework planned for 2020, and reiterates its request to the State Party to ensure a continued, long-term allocation of resources to control the existing IAS inside the property, and for the management strategy to emphasize prevention and early detection combined with rapid response measures;
- Also appreciates that the General Management Plan (GMP) of the property was submitted to the World Heritage Centre and that it includes comprehensive climate change planning to anticipate, adapt to, and mitigate climate change impacts on the property;
- Welcomes the planned purchase of approximately 8,000 ha (20,000 acres) of land and drilling rights in the Everglades Protection Area to permanently prevent oil, gas and mineral exploration and extraction on the acquired land, nevertheless, noting that this does not eliminate all threats from beyond the property boundaries, requests the State Party to inform the World Heritage Centre about any planned or potential oil and gas drilling activities in the proximity of the property, and to ensure that any Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is conducted in line with the IUCN World Heritage Advice Note on Environmental Assessment and submitted to the World Heritage Centre for review by IUCN before conducting any drilling activities;
- Also requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December 2022, 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 46th session;
- Decides to retain Everglades National Park (United States of America) on the List of World Heritage in Danger.