Protecting natural areas and ecosystems is not anti-development. This report shows that by conserving large areas of habitat, natural World Heritage sites also increase resilience to natural and weather-related disasters, support livelihoods for communities, and provide communities with vital protection against the impacts of climate change.
This document presents the key results of the Our Common Dignity initiative on rights and World Heritage undertaken by the Advisory Bodies to the World Heritage Convention (ICCROM, ICOMOS and IUCN) under the coordination of ICOMOS Norway between 2011 and 2016. The report describes and discusses work carried out by the Advisory Bodies during this period, and should not be seen as their final words nor their entire institutional opinion on this topic.
Contents:
Foreword
Irina Bokova (Director-General of UNESCO)
Preface
Jhr. Ir. Diederik Six (president ICOMOS Netherlands) and Drs. Erik Luijendijk (board member ICOMOSNetherlands)
Culture is the fourth pillar of sustainable development
Olivier Blond
Water and Heritage: conventions and connections
Henk P.J. van Schaik, Michael van der Valk and Willem Willems
World Heritage sites are examples of critical natural capital that must be protected. This report highlights the increasingly important and urgent role that banks need to play in helping to safeguard natural World Heritage sites now and for future generations. Banks have a unique responsibility to ensure that lending decisions are made on a sound and sustainable basis.
