Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹ûÏÖ³¡Ö±²¥ calls for increased representation and focus on nature conservation at 46th session of the World Heritage Committee
The 46th session of the World Heritage Committee meeting opens today in New Delhi, India, where over the next 10 days, the Committee will decide which potential sites will be added onto the prestigious World Heritage List and take decisions on the conservation and management actions needed to protect World Heritage sites under threat.
, which is the governing body of the Convention and is made up of 21 of the Convention’s signatory States Parties, chaired this year by India. Over the past year, Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹ûÏÖ³¡Ö±²¥ has undertaken extensive research and on the ground visits, to provide technical recommendations on the evaluation of potential new sites for inscription on the World Heritage List, and on the state of conservation of existing natural World Heritage sites including those on the List of World Heritage in Danger.
Over 40 state of conservation reports on the nature conservation needs of World Heritage sites spanning 34 countries will be examined (for detailed list ). These reports address a range of conservation issues and challenges affecting natural World Heritage including climate change, infrastructure development pressure, extractive activities, human rights, and armed conflict. Of the reports, 17 are for sites on the List of World Heritage in Danger.
Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹ûÏÖ³¡Ö±²¥ will present its evaluations for seven sites that are being nominated for their nature conservation values (for detailed list ), and contribute advice on a further five sites nominated as cultural landscapes that express the relationship between people and the natural environment, as well as two sites where minor boundary modifications are proposed.
A range of conservation issues and challenges affecting World Heritage will be discussed in this intergovernmental forum. Â
As the Committee meeting starts, Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹ûÏÖ³¡Ö±²¥ calls for action on three key issues.
Firstly, there is a need for action on the imbalance of the World Heritage List, and to support regions and countries that are underrepresented. An Open-ended Working Group of States, created by the World Heritage Committee during the extended 45th session (Riyadh, 2023), has been discussing the need to strengthen cooperation and support to address gaps on the List, and Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹ûÏÖ³¡Ö±²¥ notes a range of world-class nature conservation sites that can help ensure World Heritage is properly inclusive of the natural wealth of our planet.
Secondly, taking a human rights-based approach and ensuring participation of all stakeholders is vital for the World Heritage Committee to make fully informed decisions. It is important that Indigenous peoples, local communities and civil society are given the space to speak at the Committee meeting, and especially to have the chance to give their view before the Committee adopts its decisions. In this regard, we welcome that the (IIPFWH) are organising a side event on 24 July, focussing on advancing respect of Indigenous Peoples’ values and rights, including the importance of Free Prior and Informed Consent for all World Heritage listings.
Thirdly, Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹ûÏÖ³¡Ö±²¥ considers it essential that the World Heritage Convention increases its focus on nature conservation outcomes and including the key contributions of World Heritage to the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and the linked global goals. In this context, UNESCO, Brazil and Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹ûÏÖ³¡Ö±²¥ will host a major side event on 27 July to reinforce the contribution of the World Heritage Convention to global climate and biodiversity targets, and how to mobilise the commitments and finances needed for effective action.
Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹ûÏÖ³¡Ö±²¥ through its collaboration with ICCROM in the World Heritage Leadership programme is also co-organising the . The Forum focuses on empowering site managers by fostering international networks, and facilitating the exchange of knowledge and experiences in managing World Heritage sites. This year, over 80 site managers from 34 countries will explore topics such as the , nature-culture linkages, disaster risk management, and inclusive management. The , a long-standing Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹ûÏÖ³¡Ö±²¥ Member, will also highlight some of its work.
The annual World Heritage Committee meeting this year runs from 21 to 31 July 2024.
The livestream of the World Heritage Committee meeting is available here: .
All documents for the World Heritage Committee meeting are available at .
A list of selected side events is available at:
Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹ûÏÖ³¡Ö±²¥ recommendations
- Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹ûÏÖ³¡Ö±²¥ Evaluation report of new nominations ( and )
- State of conservation reports for sites on the List of World Heritage in Danger (, , , and )Ìý
- State of conservation reports for sites on the World Heritage List (, , , , and )
About Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹ûÏÖ³¡Ö±²¥ and the World Heritage Convention
Since the inception of the World Heritage Convention in 1972, Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹ûÏÖ³¡Ö±²¥ has played a unique role as the official advisory body under the World Heritage Convention on natural World Heritage. This involves leading the technical recommendation of all new nominations of natural and mixed World Heritage sites, monitoring the status of existing natural and mixed World Heritage sites and the newly added Preliminary Assessment process to provide direct advice on the feasibility of potential nominations to states parties.
Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹ûÏÖ³¡Ö±²¥ also works independently on the Convention to support World Heritage sites globally though our extensive network of programs and policies led though our central Secretariat team, our expert commissions, and our member organisations.
Find out more about Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹ûÏÖ³¡Ö±²¥'s work on World Heritage and discover natural World Heritage sites .