Decision : 30 COM 7B.18
State of Conservation (Lake Baikal)
The World Heritage Committee,
1. Having examined Document WHC-06/30.COM/7B.Add,
2. Recalling its Decisions 28 COM 15B.22 and 29 COM 7B.19, adopted at its 28th (Suzhou 2004) and 29th (Durban 2005) sessions respectively,
3. Commends the State Party for the progress achieved in setting up a basic monitoring programme, its efforts to agree with the Government of Mongolia on acceptable pollution standards for the Selenga River, its efforts to modernize sewage treatment systems in the watershed, the preparation of a management plan for the property and preparatory work implemented to define the boundaries of the Central Ecological Zone of Lake Baikal;
4. Notes with satisfaction the confirmed re-routing of the Trans-Siberian oil pipeline at a distance of 250 to 450km from the lake and outside of the boundaries of the World Heritage property, as recommended by the joint World Heritage Centre/IUCN monitoring mission of October 2005 and commends the State Party for this courageous decision;
5. Urges the State Party to increase its efforts on implementing the other recommendations of the 2005 joint World Heritage Centre/IUCN mission, in particular the urgent approval by the Government of the proposed Central Ecological Zone of Lake Baikal, the re-establishment of the Baikal Commission, and the implementation of the re-conversion plan for the Baikalski Pulp and Paper Mill which should lead to achieving a closed water circuit system by 2007;
6. Requests the States Party to provide the World Heritage Centre a detailed report by 1 February 2007 on the state of conservation of the property and further progress made in implementing the recommendations of the joint 2005 World Heritage Centre/IUCN mission for examination by the Committee at its 31st session in 2007.
Original Decision Document