MONITORING WORLD HERITAGE SITES

The inscription of a site on the World Heritage List is just the first step towards ensuring its conservation. Afterwards, the site is actively surveyed by the entire World Heritage community, from the States Parties (countries), governments and site managers to the World Heritage Committee and its advisory bodies - the World Conservation Union (IUCN) for natural sites, the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) for cultural sites, or both for mixed sites.

A Periodic Report provides an assessment of the application of the World Heritage Convention by the State Party and of the state of conservation of World Heritage properties on its territory. Specific information is included in the report on how the State Party has used the Convention for the identification of cultural and/or natural heritage sites; protection, conservation and presentation of heritage; international co-operation and fund raising; as well as education, information and awareness raising. Periodic Reports also contain details on whether the values for which a property was inscribed on the World Heritage List are being maintained, along with up-dated information on the management of the property, factors affecting it and monitoring arrangements.

The World Heritage Committee uses a regional approach to Periodic Reporting as a means to promote regional collaboration among States Parties, competent institutions and regional expertise as well as to be able to respond to the specific characteristics of each region. The Committee examines periodic reports for each region according to a pre-established schedule based on a six-year cycle and includes its findings in its report to the General Conference of UNESCO. The States Parties themselves are responsible for the preparation of the periodic reports.

States Parties are also asked to inform the World Heritage Committee of any new information relating to the state of conservation of a World Heritage site located on their territory as well as to provide information, at the earliest possible opportunity, of their intention to undertake or authorize any activity or development that might adversely affect the site. Timely information provided by States Parties enables the Committee to seek appropriate solutions, in co-operation with the State Party concerned, to ensure that the World Heritage property is conserved to the highest possible standards.

For example, after a monitoring mission of international experts to El Vizcaino in Mexico revealed that this whale sanctuary was threatened by the development of the world's largest sea saltworks, the World Heritage Committee expressed concern for the State of Conservation of this World Heritage site to the Mexican Government. Soon after, the Mexican President announced the cancellation of the controversial project and proposed instead the expansion of an existing saltworks, which provided employment opportunities and economic benefits for the local people. El Vizcaino is also currently the focus of a UN Foundation Biodiversity Programme which is linking tourism with biodiversity conservation and will specifically aim to bring employment and economic benefits to the local communities via alternative means such as Ecotourism.

Assistance from the World Heritage Fund is available for States Parties requiring assistance for the training of conservation personnel, site protection activities and emergency assistance.