IUCN at the World Heritage Committee
The World Heritage Committee is the governing body on World Heritage and meets every year. The Committee takes decisions on whether a property is inscribed on the World Heritage List, and may request States Parties to take action when sites are facing major conservation threats or are not being adequately managed. As its Advisory Body on nature, IUCN prepares and presents its recommendations to the World Heritage Committee regarding the inscription of new sites, assesses sites’ state of conservation, prepares draft decisions, and provides advice to States Parties.
To help maintain the highest possible standards in our delivery, IUCN's work on World Heritage is guided by the following principles:
- Partnership is paramount. All our activities are carried out in partnership with other organizations and stakeholders, particularly the World Heritage Centre, the other Advisory Bodies to the Convention (ICOMOS and ICCROM), and States Parties.
- Sound science is essential. One of the Union's major strengths is its high level of scientific credibility, consistency and objectivity. We maintain this by drawing on the expertise of our scientific networks – particularly the WCPA and SSC.
- Problems require practical solutions. An important part of our work is to identify threats to World Heritage sites, but we aim to go beyond mere reporting to seeking practical and innovative solutions to address these threats.
- Consistency with global agendas and policies. Throughout our advice IUCN is guided by policy positions on the Global Biodiversity Framework, the incompatibility of World Heritage status with oil/gas/mining (no-go commitment), human-rights based approaches, the Guidance and Toolkit for Impact Assessment in a World Heritage Context, and other policies and advice notes.
Past news from IUCN at World Heritage Committee meetings
IUCN AT #46WHC (2024)
![media thumbnail](https://iucn.org/sites/default/files/styles/resource_other/public/2024-07/world-heritage-46com-tim-badman-2.jpg.webp?itok=05PKAV2p)
News
|
21 Jul, 2024
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…
![media thumbnail](https://iucn.org/sites/default/files/styles/resource_other/public/2024-07/flags.jpg.webp?itok=XKIALkJL)
External event
|
21 Jul, 2024
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…
![media thumbnail](https://iucn.org/sites/default/files/styles/resource_other/public/2024-06/small-02_restored_reed_bed_yellow_river_delta_tilman_jaeger_05.2023.jpg.webp?itok=o1Hb-cMC)
Story
|
07 Jun, 2024
IUCN, the official advisory body on nature to UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee, recommends the addition of four new sites to the prestigious World Heritage List for their outstanding natural value…
IUCN at #45WHC (2023)
![media thumbnail](https://iucn.org/sites/default/files/styles/resource_other/public/2023-09/anticosti-c-iucn-sophie-justice-web.jpg.webp?itok=lftYI67k)
News
|
21 Sep, 2023
The World Heritage Committee has enlarged natural World Heritage areas by more than 100 million hectares, an area roughly 26 times the size of Switzerland.
![media thumbnail](https://iucn.org/sites/default/files/styles/resource_other/public/2023-09/collection_0066_0495.jpg.webp?itok=69ov7oSH)
Blog
|
27 Sep, 2023
The extended 45th session of the World Heritage Committee has just closed here in Riyadh, a mammoth event covering two years of work instead of the normal one. IUCN has had a good meeting, with a…
![media thumbnail](https://iucn.org/sites/default/files/styles/resource_other/public/2023-09/southern-ustyrt-kaplankyr-kazakhstan-mark-pestov-ii-image.jpg.webp?itok=2TcOgEzV)
News
|
21 Sep, 2023
Cold Winter Deserts of Turan and Tugay Forests of the Tigrovaya Balka Nature Reserve are newly added to the UNESCO World Heritage List, following IUCN’s advice and the dedicated work of national…
![media thumbnail](https://iucn.org/sites/default/files/styles/resource_other/public/2023-09/8092137959_5338d30bf8_c.jpg.webp?itok=QQPugnSP)
Story
|
06 Sep, 2023
Gland, Switzerland 6 September 2023 (IUCN) – The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), as the official advisor on nature to the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, recommends…
IUCN at #44WHC (2021)
![media thumbnail](https://iucn.org/sites/default/files/styles/resource_other/public/content/images/2019/tw_statement-iucn_statement_0_0.jpg.webp?itok=gngOrnEE)
IUCN Statement
|
29 Jul, 2021
IUCN acknowledges the World Heritage Committee’s decision to inscribe the Kaeng Krachan Forest Complex onto the World Heritage List, and the commitment expressed by the State Party of Thailand to…
![media thumbnail](https://iucn.org/sites/default/files/styles/resource_other/public/import/img/great_barrier_reef_celia_zwahlenlow.jpg.webp?itok=rQZYO1-u)
Press release
|
23 Jul, 2021
Gland, Switzerland, 23 July 2021 (IUCN) – IUCN’s call for urgent action to address impacts from climate change and poor water quality affecting the Great Barrier Reef has been adopted by the World…
![media thumbnail](https://iucn.org/sites/default/files/styles/resource_other/public/content/images/2021/salonga_national_park_drc_c_iucn_herve_lethier.jpg.webp?itok=C4fQQKA3)
Story
|
19 Jul, 2021
The World Heritage Committee today has decided to remove Salonga National Park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo from the List of World Heritage in Danger. A mission carried out jointly by IUCN…
![media thumbnail](https://iucn.org/sites/default/files/styles/resource_other/public/content/images/2021/golden_snub_nosed_monkey_in_hubei_shennongjia_china_850.jpg.webp?itok=lnHp-hEI)
Story
|
16 Jul, 2021
IUCN calls on governments gathering virtually today at UNESCO’s 44th World Heritage Committee meeting to take full account of the contributions of World Heritage sites in addressing biodiversity loss…
![media thumbnail](https://iucn.org/sites/default/files/styles/resource_other/public/content/images/2021/gbr_-_photo_by_yanguang_lan_on_unsplash_850.jpg.webp?itok=FQZpB2MN)
Story
|
22 Jun, 2021
IUCN, the official advisor on nature to the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, recommends adding four natural sites to the List of World Heritage in Danger: the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, the W…
![media thumbnail](https://iucn.org/sites/default/files/styles/resource_other/public/content/images/2021/amami-oshimatokunoshimaokinawairiomote_c_iucn_ulrika_aberg.jpg.webp?itok=hdgYFvp3)
Story
|
04 Jun, 2021
IUCN, the official advisor on nature to UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee, recommends two new inscriptions on the prestigious World Heritage List for sites in Georgia and Japan. Both places harbour a…
IUCN at #43WHC
![media thumbnail](https://iucn.org/sites/default/files/styles/resource_other/public/content/images/2019/selous_rufiji_850_iucn_tilman_jaeger.jpg.webp?itok=-GHtLagQ)
Story
|
05 Dec, 2019
A strategic environmental assessment meant to guide decisions on the Rufiji hydropower project in Tanzania’s Selous Game Reserve World Heritage site is completely inadequate, according to an…
![media thumbnail](https://iucn.org/sites/default/files/styles/resource_other/public/content/images/2019/iucn_delegation_850.jpg.webp?itok=2n8H3eNE)
Story
|
15 Jul, 2019
UNESCO’s annual World Heritage Committee meeting concluded on 10 July. After gathering input from the IUCN delegation he headed at the Committee, Peter Shadie, Director of IUCN’s World Heritage…
![media thumbnail](https://iucn.org/sites/default/files/styles/resource_other/public/content/images/2019/vaquita_c_semarnat_public_domain_850.jpg.webp?itok=jwFORRyq)
Press release
|
03 Jul, 2019
The World Heritage Committee today followed IUCN’s advice to list Mexico’s Islands and Protected Areas of the Gulf of California as a World Heritage site in danger. The site’s population of vaquitas …
![media thumbnail](https://iucn.org/sites/default/files/styles/resource_other/public/content/images/2019/selous_hippos_c_iucn_mizuki_murai_850.jpg.webp?itok=3Lbhvt6M)
IUCN Statement
|
27 Jun, 2019
The Selous Game Reserve in Tanzania faces irreversible damage if plans to build the Stiegler’s Gorge dam go ahead, according to IUCN – the official advisor on natural World Heritage. Ultimately, this…
![media thumbnail](https://iucn.org/sites/default/files/styles/resource_other/public/content/images/2016/a_p1050854.jpg.webp?itok=hjeInigU)
Story
|
07 Jun, 2019
IUCN, the official advisor on natural World Heritage, recommends for three natural sites to be listed as “World Heritage in danger”: the Sundarbans in Bangladesh, Mexico’s Islands and Protected Areas…
![media thumbnail](https://iucn.org/sites/default/files/styles/resource_other/public/content/images/2019/terres_et_mers_australes_francaises_france_c_iucn_wendy_strahm_850.jpg.webp?itok=oyIP-rpp)
Story
|
20 May, 2019
The official advisory body on natural World Heritage, IUCN - International Union for Conservation of Nature, recommends listing four new World Heritage sites for their outstanding natural value in…
![media thumbnail](https://iucn.org/sites/default/files/styles/resource_other/public/content/images/2017_c_cropped_wh_panel_web.jpg.webp?itok=V-5_YXC4)
Story
|
12 Dec, 2018
The IUCN World Heritage Panel met last week to evaluate site nominations proposed for the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2019. Proposals for seven new natural heritage sites and one ‘mixed’ natural…
IUCN at #42WHC
![media thumbnail](https://iucn.org/sites/default/files/styles/resource_other/public/content/images/2018/plenary_c_iucn_angela_jones_850_x_500.jpg.webp?itok=HWfGUGGv)
Blog
|
11 Jul, 2018
Returning from the 42nd World Heritage Committee meeting in Manama, in the Kingdom of Bahrain, Peter Shadie, IUCN’s World Heritage Senior Advisor and head of the IUCN delegation at the Committee,…
![media thumbnail](https://iucn.org/sites/default/files/styles/resource_other/public/content/images/2018/ahwar_of_southern_iraq_-_fodder_for_buffaloes_in_huwaizah_marshes_c_iucn_faisal_abu-izzeddin_850.jpg.webp?itok=4bI9fBTO)
Story
|
04 Jul, 2018
Water is at the heart of human existence and development. But how do people manage this precious resource in arid landscapes, such as in the Arab region? What cultural practices have developed over…
![media thumbnail](https://iucn.org/sites/default/files/styles/resource_other/public/content/images/2018/madison_850_x_500.jpg.webp?itok=d_q96kOd)
Story
|
03 Jul, 2018
“I respectfully encourage the representatives of each country present to think of my generation in decision-making regarding World Heritage sites – our barrier reef and our planet depend on it.” Thus…
![media thumbnail](https://iucn.org/sites/default/files/styles/resource_other/public/content/images/2018/socotra_archipelago_yemen_c_iucn_david_sheppard_850.jpg.webp?itok=cL7s1fNa)
Press release
|
02 Jul, 2018
Manama, Bahrain – Following IUCN’s advice, the World Heritage Committee has urged Yemen to halt any activity that may negatively impact on the unique wildlife and landscapes of the Socotra…
![media thumbnail](https://iucn.org/sites/default/files/styles/resource_other/public/content/images/2018/chiribiquete_national_park_colombia_c_iucn_charles_besancon_waterfall_aerial850.jpg.webp?itok=2F8zOFjc)
Story
|
01 Jul, 2018
Discover the beauty of the new World Heritage sites inscribed during the 42nd World Heritage Committee meeting, following the advice of IUCN – the official advisor on natural World Heritage. Our…
![media thumbnail](https://iucn.org/sites/default/files/styles/resource_other/public/import/img/south_island_np_crop.jpg.webp?itok=LeFU6bX3)
Press release
|
28 Jun, 2018
Manama, Bahrain, 28 June 2018 (IUCN) – Lake Turkana National Parks in Kenya has been placed on the List of World Heritage in Danger today at UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee meeting, due to impacts…
![media thumbnail](https://iucn.org/sites/default/files/styles/resource_other/public/content/images/2018/virunga_guards_courtesy_of_the_organisers_of_a_night_for_virunga_0.jpg.webp?itok=JHfzrArf)
Story
|
27 Jun, 2018
Manama, Bahrain – A benefits concert taking place today at the World Heritage Committee meeting pays tribute to park rangers who were brutally killed while protecting Virunga National Park. It marks…
![media thumbnail](https://iucn.org/sites/default/files/styles/resource_other/public/content/images/2018/selous_game_reserve_tanzania_c_iucn_tilman_jaeger_850.jpg.webp?itok=JR8CMkLx)
Story
|
27 Jun, 2018
Manama, Bahrain – Tanzania has been urged to not proceed with plans to log 143,638 ha in the Selous Game Reserve today at UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee meeting, as recommended by the…
![media thumbnail](https://iucn.org/sites/default/files/styles/resource_other/public/content/images/2018/belize_bluehole_850px.jpg.webp?itok=LPD1ZI6b)
Press release
|
26 Jun, 2018
Manama, Bahrain, 26 June 2018 (IUCN) – The Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System – the world’s second largest coral reef system after the Great Barrier Reef – has come off the List of World Heritage in…
![media thumbnail](https://iucn.org/sites/default/files/styles/resource_other/public/content/images/2016/oimg_0086.jpg.webp?itok=WhQMHXwv)
Story
|
18 Jun, 2018
Uncontrolled development, unsustainable fisheries and invasive species threaten Yemen’s Socotra Archipelago, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), which recommends…
![media thumbnail](https://iucn.org/sites/default/files/styles/resource_other/public/content/images/2018/belize_bluehole2_iucn_elena_osipova_850px.jpg.webp?itok=GQphixJQ)
Story
|
28 May, 2018
In-danger status can be lifted from the world’s second largest coral reef, Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in charge of…
![media thumbnail](https://iucn.org/sites/default/files/styles/resource_other/public/content/images/2018/chiribiquete_national_park_colombia_c_iucn_charles_besancon_850.jpg.webp?itok=WK92jvHa)
Story
|
14 May, 2018
Two very large areas in Canada and Colombia are recommended for inscription on the World Heritage List by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the official advisor on natural…
More information from UNESCO
Description
Key habitats among new World Heritage sites