Decision 45 COM 7B.14

The Sundarbans (Bangladesh) (N 798)

The World Heritage Committee, 

1. Having examined Document WHC/23/45.COM/7B.Add.2,
2. Recalling Decisions 38 COM 7B.64, 41 COM 7B.25, 43 COM 7B.3 and 44 COM 7B.91 adopted at its 38th (Doha, 2014), 41st (Kraków, 2017), 43rd (Baku, 2019) and extended 44th (Fuzhou/online, 2021) sessions respectively,
3. Welcomes the State Party’s continued efforts towards enhancing the protection of the property and the progress in implementing the recommendations of the 2019 joint World Heritage Centre/IUCN Reactive Monitoring mission, undertaking effective conservation measures through planned forestation and requests to continue to implement the mission recommendations as agreed by the State Party and previous Committee decisions;
4. Appreciates the national measures taken by the State Party on the Maitree Super Thermal Power Plant (MSTP) to avoid impacts on the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV), in accordance with the Environmental Management Plan, and further appreciates the decision of the State Party to revise the Power System Master Plan (PSMP) to replace the second unit of the MSTP with solar PV power plant and subsequent cancellation of six other coal-fired power plants as part of Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC);
5. Notes with appreciation the completion of the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) and the Strategic Environmental Management Plan (SEMP) for the South-West region of Bangladesh in 2021 and submission to the World Heritage Centre in 2023, and further notes the findings of the SEA that the scale of potential degradation of the OUV of the property through proposed development scenarios remains unknown, and also requests the State Party to:
   1. continue to implement the SEMP in order to avoid direct, indirect and cumulative impacts from developments in the South-West region over the next twenty years that are identified in the SEA,
   2. submit the additional studies and data-gathering framework outlined in chapter 4.8 of the SEMP to the World Heritage Centre for review as soon as they are completed,
   3. ensure that decision making regarding large-scale industrial development in the vicinity of the property is based on the provisions of the Guidance and Toolkit for Impact Assessments in a World Heritage Context in order to ensure the long-term protection of the OUV,
   4. keep the World Heritage Centre informed of any major project that may impact the OUV in conformity with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines;
6. Appreciates the State Party for adopting the National Oil and Chemical Spill Contingency Plan (NOSCOP) 2020 during the difficult times of COVID-19, and further appreciates the State Party for implementing NOSCOP and developing Localized Contingency Plan to mitigate the possible impact in case of emergency;
7. Noting that the India-Bangladesh Joint Working Group and the India-Bangladesh Joint River Commission are important bilateral mechanisms to address trans-national matters, reiterates its request to the States Parties of Bangladesh and India to strengthen cooperative action for the eco-hydrology of the property and the adjoining Sundarbans National Park in India;
8. Acknowledges that continued sustainable development is a shared responsibility for all, and the State Party has the obligation to implement the relevant targets of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and therefore requests the State Party to use the SEMP as a basis for deciding on the large development projects and take adequate national measures to protect the OUV of the property;
9. Takes note of the ongoing preparation of the new 2025-2035 Integrated Resource Management Plan (IRMP) for the Sundarbans and requests furthermore the State Party to continue consultations with the communities;
10. Finally requests the State Party to engage with the World Heritage Centre on a regular basis and submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December 2025, a progress report for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 48th session, and a State of Conservation report by 1 February 2029, for examination by the Committee at its 51st session.