Decision 45 COM 7B.23

Wadden Sea (Denmark, Germany, Netherlands) (N 1314ter)

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/23/45.COM/7B.Add.2,
2. Recalling Decisions 33 COM 8B.4 and 38 COM 8B.13 adopted at its 33rd (Sevilla, 2009) and 38th (Doha, 2014) sessions respectively,
3. Welcomes the development of the ‘Agenda for the Wadden Sea Region 2050’ in 2021 and the adoption of the ‘Single Integrated Management Plan’ (SIMP) for the transboundary property in 2023 and strongly encourages the States Parties of Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands to adopt a precautionary and strategic approach to the management of the property, including to clarify longer-term projections based on the latest scientific climate change data for the Wadden Sea;
4. Reiterates its position that extractive activities are incompatible with World Heritage status, and considers that natural resource extraction below the property has the potential to adversely impact its Outstanding Universal Value (OUV);
5. Also welcomes the confirmation by the State Party of the Netherlands that no new gas extraction permits will be issued in the Wadden Sea, but notes with serious concern the approval of a new salt extraction project and the ongoing consideration of a proposed gas development at Ternaard, in the vicinity of the property, which would extend extractive activities below the property;
6. Notes with further concern that, in the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process, the State Party of the Netherlands has not undertaken a comprehensive assessment of the potential impacts of the proposed Ternaard gas extraction project on the OUV of the property when, based on information available, it would appear that the project has direct negative impacts on the OUV of the property, and therefore urges the State Party not to approve the project;
7. Requests the State Party of the Netherlands not to approve further extractive projects, in line with the precautionary principle, to assess whether adaptation of the ‘hand on tap’ monitoring mechanism is required to account for uncertainties linked to climate change, and to consider limiting or halting existing salt extraction activities, as required, to effectively maintain and protect the OUV;
8. Also notes with serious concern the Wintershall Dea’s oil development, which is currently being considered by the State Party of Germany, and appears to be located inside the property, as well as the GEMS gas development located close to the boundary of the property;
9. Also urges the State Party of Germany not to proceed with any proposed oil exploration inside the property and to conduct a detailed EIA, including an assessment of potential impacts on the OUV of the property, for any oil or gas extraction project that may negatively impact the property, in accordance with the Guidance and Toolkit for Impact Assessments in a World Heritage Context;
10. Further notes with serious concern the scientific advice from the Independent Scientific Advisory Body (ISAB) established by the State Party of the Netherlands that, as a result of salt mining, there is a reasonable probability that future sediment accretion will be insufficient to offset sea level rise and that the potential for subsidence of the seabed will be prolonged once the mining operation is stopped, and also considers that subsidence of the seabed, especially in the light of projected sea level rise as a result of climate change, could reduce the extent of the tidal flats, which are one of the main attributes of the property’s OUV, and therefore directly result in a significant negative impact on the property’s OUV;
11. Further welcomes the decision by the State Party of the Netherlands to carry out additional studies on the proposed routing to connect the planned offshore wind power installation to the mainland, through impact assessments specifically focused on the property’s OUV and including an assessment of the impacts of the potential hydrogen production north of the Wadden Sea and the pipelines to be constructed for delivering the substance to the mainland, and also requests the State Party to submit these assessments to the World Heritage Centre for review by IUCN prior to a final decision on the projects;
12. Notes the numerous existing and proposed wind energy projects in the vicinity of the property and encourages the States Parties to use the online Guidance for Wind Energy Projects in a World Heritage Context when planning and assessing their impacts and taking proactive measures for the protection and preservation of the property’s OUV;
13. Further notes the multiple existing and/or proposed extraction and infrastructure developments within and around the property, and further requests the three States Parties to:
    1. Provide to the World Heritage Centre and IUCN an overview of all existing and planned extractive activities within and around the property, with appropriate maps,
    2. Conduct a joint Strategic Environmental Assessment to assess the cumulative impacts of these developments on the OUV of the property, in line with the key principles of the Guidance and Toolkit for Impact Assessments in a World Heritage Context, prior to continuing to permit individual projects on a case-by-case basis,
    3. Authorise project proposals only if adequate assessments demonstrate that they will not have an adverse impact on the OUV of the property;
14. Finally requests the States Parties of Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2024, an updated joint 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.