Volcanoes of Kamchatka (Russian Federation) (N 765bis)

Draft Decision: 36 COM 7B.21

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC-12/36.COM/7B.Add,
2. Recalling Decision 34 COM 7B.23 adopted at its 34th session (Brasilia, 2010),
3. Regrets that the State Party report provides information only on the 4 components of the property managed by the regional authorities but not on the two federally administered components and does not provide detailed information on trends in wildlife populations in the property, including salmon, the integrated management framework, the draft Regulation of the “Kamchatka Nature Park, and an update on the implementation of the recommendations of the 2007 reactive monitoring mission, and considers that, in the absence of this information, the current state of conservation of the property cannot be adequately assessed;
4. Notes with concern the reports about plans to construct two hydropower stations inside the property and to develop four ski resorts in its vicinity, and requests the State Party to provide detailed information about these plans, including copies of the Environmental Impact Assessments for the hydropower and other projects that may have a potential impact on the property’s Outstanding Universal Value, before taking any irreversible decisions;
5. Also notes that the State Party report refers to a 2010 boundary revision, which seems to indicate that a certain area was taken out of the nature parks, and urges the State Party to provide detailed information about this boundary revision, including a detailed map showing the boundaries of all components of the property;
6. Reiterates its request to the State Party to fully implement the recommendations of the 2007 reactive monitoring mission, particularly regarding the strengthening of the conservation capacity, integrated management plan and coordination structure, and a comprehensive tourism management plan;
7. Expresses its utmost concern about Federal Law No. 365-FZ dated 30 November 2011, which significantly weakens the protection status of Strict Nature Reserves and therefore could affect the Outstanding Universal Value of World Heritage properties in the Russian Federation and reiterates its request to the State Party to take appropriate legal measures to maintain a high level protection of the World Heritage properties on its territory, in accordance with Paragraph 15(f) of the Operational Guidelines;
8. Recommends that all legal issues concerning natural properties in the Russian Federation, which are composed of federal and regional protected areas, be addressed through a comprehensive national legal framework for the protection and management of natural World Heritage properties in order to ensure the fulfilment of the State Party's obligations under the Convention and also requests the State Party to convene a high-level workshop to assist in developing such a framework, in consultation with the World Heritage Centre and IUCN;
9. Further requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2013, an updated report on the state of conservation of the property, including detailed information on trends in wildlife populations inside the property, a map showing the current boundaries of the property, and a detailed progress report on the implementation of the recommendations of the 2007 reactive monitoring mission, as well as the other documents requested above, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 37th session in 2013.