Decision : 32 COM 7A.32
Impact of Climate Change on World Heritage properties
The World Heritage Committee,
1. Having examined Document WHC-08/32.COM/7A,
2. Recalling Decisions 29 COM 7B.a, 30 COM 7.1 and 31 COM 7.1, adopted at its 29th (Durban, 2005), 30th (Vilnius, 2006) and 31st (Christchurch, 2007) sessions respectively,
3. Also recalling Resolution 16 GA 10, adopted by the General Assembly of States Parties to the World Heritage Convention at its 16th session (UNESCO, 2007),
4. Noting the real danger from climate change faced by many World Heritage properties,
5. Decides to adopt the criteria proposed for assessing properties which are most threatened by climate change for inclusion on the List of World Heritage in Danger, noting that the emphasis of the corrective measures to be recommended should be on "adaptation" rather than on "mitigation";
6. Approves the following amendments to the Operational Guidelines:
a) Amendment to Paragraph 179 (b) (vi):
threatening impacts of climatic, geological or other environmental factors. gradual changes due to geological, climatic or other environmental factors.
b) New Paragraph : Paragraph 180 (b)(v):
threatening impacts of climatic, geological or other environmental factors.
c) Amendment to Paragraph 181:
In addition, the factor or factors which are threatening threats and/or their deleterious impacts on the integrity of the property must be those which are amenable to correction by human action. In the case of cultural properties, both natural factors and man-made factors may be threatening, while in the case of natural properties, most threats will be man-made and only very rarely a natural factor (such as an epidemic disease) will threaten the integrity of the property. In some cases, the factor or factors which are threatening threats and/or their deleterious impacts on the integrity of the property may be corrected by administrative or legislative action, such as the cancelling of a major public works project or the improvement of legal status.
Original Decision Document