State of conservation of World Heritage Property Western Caucasus (N 900)

Decision: 35 COM 7B.24

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC-11/35.COM/7B,
2. Recalling Decision 34 COM 7B.24, adopted at its 34th session (Brasilia, 2010),
3. Welcomes the progress made by the State Party in implementing some of the recommendations of the 2010 monitoring mission defining the boundaries of the property;
4. Requests the State Party to submit as soon as possible:
   1. The updated map of the boundaries of the property as well as the areas proposed for future inclusion in the Caucasus Strict Nature Reserve,
   2. Information on the activities allowed in the Nature Monuments which are part of the property following the approval of the "passports", which under Russian Law define their protection regime;
5. Notes with serious concern the continued reports of infrastructure developments within the property as well as the announcement of a possible new ski resort on Lagonaki plateau;
6. Urges the State Party to rapidly implement all recommendations of the 2010 monitoring mission in order to protect the property's Outstanding Universal Value, and in particular immediately halt the development of infrastructure and tourism facilities within the property as well as logging activities and rehabilitate the damaged areas;
7. Also urges the State Party to submit copies of Environmental Impact Assessments to the World Heritage Centre conducted for all proposed developments which could affect the property, in line with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines, including an assessment of their potential impacts on the property's Outstanding Universal Value;
8. Also notes with concern the reports on proposed changes to Russian Federal protected area's legislation, which could significantly weaken the level of protection of State Nature Reserves and affect the protection regimes of more than half of the Russian natural World Heritage properties, including the Western Caucasus, and also requests the State Party to provide more information on the proposed law and take all appropriate legal measures to maintain a high level of protection of natural World Heritage properties on its territory, in accordance with Paragraph 15(f) of the Operational Guidelines;
9. Invites the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies to approach the International Olympic Committee and the International Ski Federation with a view to putting in place an agreement regarding sporting events and World Heritage in order to ensure that sport facilities developments do not adversely affect the Outstanding Universal Value of World Heritage properties;
10. Further requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2012, a report on the state of conservation of the property, including progress in the implementation of the remaining 2010 reactive monitoring mission recommendations, as well as the information requested in the above paragraphs, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 36th session in 2012.