Submitted by
Hideki.YOSHIKAWA
on Sun, 12/01/2019 - 03:00
General Information
Resolution
46437
IUCN Constituent
Save the Dugong Campaign Center
IUCN Constituent type
IUCN Member organisation
Period covered
Actors involved in implementing this Resolution:
IUCN Members
Nature Conservation Society of Japan ( Japan )
Other non-IUCN related organisations
Okinawa Environmental Justice Project
II. Implementation
Activities carried out to implement this Resolution
Activity
Policy influencing/advocacy
Description and results/achievements of activities:
In 2017, the Japanese government nominated the Northern Part of Okinawa Island (NPOI), Japan, for UNESCO World Natural Heritage status. The government's nomination dossier did not provide, in our view, sufficient information on the possibilities that invasive species could be introduced to Okinawa through the use of soil and rocks transported from areas outside Okinawa for the construction of a military base near the NPOI. Thus, in 2017, we provided the IUCN World Heritage Programme additional information on the possibilities.
Status
On-going
Please report on the result /achievement of the actions taken
In its 2018 Evaluations report, the World Heritage Programme stated
"The mission also provided the opportunity to consider questions raised on the naval base, and confirmed, in relation to World Heritage considerations, that this development is distant from the nominated property. The key issue in this development of relevance to World Heritage, in common with any other projects involving land-claim in Okinawa, is to ensure a rigorous level of protection from any introductions from IAS resulting from either construction activities or operations. IUCN has indicated, as a separate matter to the World Heritage nomination, the willingness to contribute technical expertise on this matter if so requested by the Government of Japan." (p.46)
We appreciate the IUCN WH Programme's consideration and offer to provide further technical expertise on the IAS issues to the Japanese government.
"The mission also provided the opportunity to consider questions raised on the naval base, and confirmed, in relation to World Heritage considerations, that this development is distant from the nominated property. The key issue in this development of relevance to World Heritage, in common with any other projects involving land-claim in Okinawa, is to ensure a rigorous level of protection from any introductions from IAS resulting from either construction activities or operations. IUCN has indicated, as a separate matter to the World Heritage nomination, the willingness to contribute technical expertise on this matter if so requested by the Government of Japan." (p.46)
We appreciate the IUCN WH Programme's consideration and offer to provide further technical expertise on the IAS issues to the Japanese government.
Identify and briefly describe what future actions/activities are planned for the implementation of this Resolution
Future action / activity
Policy influencing/advocacy
Description
It is vital that IUCN NGOs together with other civil groups provide the IUCN WH Programme with proper information on the IAS issues in Okinawa, especially ones related to military base construction taking place near the NPOI
III. Additional Information
Report status
Published
Constituent type
IUCN Member