The UNESCO World Heritage Committee will today meet to deliberate on the increased threats facing world heritage sites such as developments, pollution and climate change.
The meeting will end on July 31 this being the 44th session.
The intergovernmental body is responsible for the implementation of the World Heritage Convention.
The outcomes of its sessions hold particular relevance for Africa at a time when some of the continent’s most iconic sites are threatened by unsustainable developments.
World Heritage status provides value to the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity of global significance.
In a statement, Ken Mwathe, BirdLife Africa policy and communications coordinator, said his organization supports development to empower local communities economically in 25 African countries.
“However, development should not harm the most iconic sites the continent has,” he said.
“Protected areas should be out of bounds for oil, gas and other major developments. I call upon governments to protect them.”
BirdLife is the world’s largest conservation partnership with over 10 million members and supporters.
The partnership conserve birds, their habitats, and global biodiversity, working towards sustainability in the use of natural resources.
Fort Jesus, Lamu Old Town, Sacred Mijikenda Kaya Forests, Thimlich Ohinga Archaeological Site are on the World Heritage list.
Lake Turkana National Park and Mount Kenya National Park/Natural Forest is inscribed as natural sites.
For a site to be named a World Heritage Site, a state party must demonstrate that it has outstanding universal cultural, historical, natural, and archaeological value.
World Heritage Sites conserve and protect the most significant natural and cultural heritage globally.
They also contribute to sustainable socio-economic development, such as eco-tourism, and provide critical ecosystem services for numerous communities.
Addressing global biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation are crucial in securing the basis for sustainable development in Africa.
It also achieves the goals and objectives articulated in the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, the Southern African Development Community’s Industrialisation Strategy and Roadmap 2015-2063, and Africa’s Agenda 2063.
However, there is an increasing trend of large infrastructure development projects and extractive industry projects (including mining, and oil and gas exploration) in and around some of Africa’s most iconic protected areas and World Heritage Sites.
Such activities result in the site being placed on the List of World Heritage in Danger and, in extreme cases, losing its World Heritage status.
An example is the current proposal to remove the Selous Game Reserve in the Republic of Tanzania from the World Heritage List.
This will be only the third delisted site in World Heritage Convention history.
The proposed delisting responds to deliberate actions by the Tanzanian government to, permit and proceed with the Julius Nyerere Hydropower Project, introduce legal changes to permit hydrocarbon and uranium prospecting and extraction inside game reserves, and excise land from the World Heritage property to accommodate a uranium mine.
These have already caused irreversible damage to the site and pose significant threats to its remaining values.
Of further concern are the extractive industry and large scale development activities that may impact the Okavango Delta and Tsodilo Hills World Heritage Sites in Botswana.
Also, the Mosi-oa-Tunya/Victoria Falls World Heritage Site in Zambia and Zimbabwe, the Mana Pools National Park, Sapi and Chewore Safari Areas World Heritage Site in Zimbabwe.
However, all of these threats have been highlighted in the World Heritage Centre and IUCN assessments preceding this month’s meeting.
The committee is also being requested to adopt decisions that urge the relevant state parties to take various measures to assess and address these threats.
States’ adherence to such decisions is crucial if the value of these iconic sites is to be preserved for present and future generations.
Edited by Kiilu Damaris
