World Heritage first became an important element of conservation and sustainability plans at the 2003 World Parks Congress in Durban (South Africa), and has been an integral part of WCC congresses ever since. At the Congress in Hawaii, participants will be able to navigate the many Forum events through thematic ‘Journeys’. The Close-up in this issue describes events that will be part of the World Heritage Journey, and includes a list of additional events for the Nature–Culture Journey.
World Heritage sites not only provide models of excellence and best practice in management to be shared with others, but the stakeholders in World Heritage preservation also aim to achieve the highest standards in addressing key issues, including climate change, tourism management and sustainable development.
At the same time, growing threats to the 1,000-plus World Heritage sites force us to work differently. This issue of World Heritage, reflecting this year’s WCC theme of Planet at the Crossroads, highlights progress made through synergies among the seven biodiversity-related Conventions, as well as collaborative work with site managers and national authorities, and enhanced links between natural and cultural heritage. In particular, we look at the ingenious sustainable tourism at Vegaøyan (Norway); applying economic valuation tools to natural World Heritage sites; and the WCC agenda – including a taste of the 1,500 events to be held over four days. We also cover conservation management at the two Hawaiian World Heritage sites, Papahānaumokuākea and Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, and interview Aroha Te Pareake Mead, Chair of IUCN’s Commission on Environmental, Economic and Social Policy.
The World Conservation Congress is not only a meeting place for many World Heritage site managers and national agencies, civil society and non-governmental organizations; it is a forum for exchange, networking and training on the latest conservation tools and technologies. We look forward to many fruitful exchanges and outcomes that will further help us to adapt and orient our efforts for effective conservation work amid a multitude of threats and challenges, in order to confront and overcome them as effectively as possible.
Mechtild Rössler
Director of the UNESCO World Heritage Centre
http://whc.unesco.org/en/review/79/
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