Tab 1

FORUM: Environment Commission 1  

QUESTION OF:  Measures to save Natural Heritage in Danger listed by UNESCO

SUBMITTED BY: Philippines

CO-SUBMITTERS: Bahamas, Belgium, Gabon, Germany, Greece, Greenpeace, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Mexico, Paraguay, Poland, Singapore, Syria, Uzbekistan, WWF

THE ENVIRONMENT COMMISSION,

Recalling the 1972 UNESCO Convention concerning the protection of the World Cultural and Natural heritage,

Recognising that many sites on the UNESCO Natural Heritage in Danger List are popular tourist destinations and that tourism is a significant source of revenue for many LEDCs,

Further recognising that many tourism practises are unethical and can damage historical landmarks and pollute the environment,

Noting with regret that illegal poaching and animal trafficking is a multi-billion dollar industry and many LEDCs do not have the pertinent resources to combat these poachers,

Deeply concerned by the increasing threats posed to these sites by illegal human activities, including but not limited to poaching, logging, illicit excavation, unsustainable tourism practices, and armed conflict,  

Emphasising the vital role of natural heritage sites for maintaining biodiversity and their cultural and spiritual significance as symbols of identity for local communities and indigenous people,

  1. Encourages members states to enforce conservation laws, invest in sustainable infrastructure and provide livelihood for local communities dependent on these natural heritage sites by:
  1. occasionally closing popular tourist attractions to the public to allow for cleaning and maintenance services and allow recovery periods for nature; the times in which these tourist attractions are closed will be stated at least two weeks beforehand
  2. raising awareness among tourists about the importance of respecting and protecting World Heritage sites;

2.  Urges the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, following the example of the Global Environment Facility (GEF), provide financial aid to developing countries with natural heritage areas, as a means of supporting and protecting their natural heritage by:

  1. fencing in natural spaces to minimise human contact with wildlife
  2. allowing for the construction of protected wildlife corridors to prevent inbreeding between isolated members of a species
  3. appropriately funding anti-poaching teams and providing relevant equipment to combat illegal animal trafficking
  4. encouraging breeding programmes for wild species in order to repopulate natural spaces
  5. Implement a dedicated scientific research team in order to further contribute to the future of the Heritage Sites focusing on:
  1. Promoting the implementation of ecological literacy into global outreach programs to foster a deeper understanding of ecosystems for tourists
  2. developing climate resilient site management,incorporating future climate predictions, and shifting ecosystems, enabling the identification of critical thresholds for intervention to prioritize restoration efforts
  3. monitoring and address environmental stressors such as soil erosion, water contamination, and rising sea levels using tools such as remote sensing, Environmental DNA, and geospatial mapping.; (AMENDMENT SUBMITTED BY URUGUAY)

3. Emphasizes the importance of community involvement in the protection of World Heritage sites, including:

  1. recognizing and supporting the traditional knowledge and practices of local communities in site management
  2. empowering local communities to participate in decision-making processes related to site conservation and sustainable development
  3. providing alternative livelihood opportunities for local communities to reduce their dependence on activities that may harm World Heritage sites
  4. Encouraging community members around natural heritage sites to be given the opportunity to work in tourism and to be trained as guides of the heritage to ensure efforts are sustainable.;

4. Calls upon all relevant nations to fund sustainable tourism organizations to ensure that tourism activities contribute positively to the natural heritage by:

a.having security that ensure that the natural heritage is not physically damaged by tourist activities

b.Providing eco-friendly guided tours that educate tourists about the importance of conservation and encourage responsible behavior in preserving the environment; (Modification of Amendment by Georgia)

5. Further reminds Member Nations of the potential of tourism planning to decrease congestion, through means such as, but not limited to:

  1. the differentiation between pricing of tourist attractions based around Natural Heritage sites, consisting of increased prices during holiday seasons and decreased prices during times of less travel
  2. spreading awareness regarding the effects of human interaction with the environment, through means such as, but not limited to social media awareness campaigns and education;

6. Urges Member States to enhance national legislation and enforcement measures to effectively criminalize and prosecute illegal activities that threaten World Heritage sites within their territories, including:

  1. strengthening border controls and customs regulations to prevent the illicit trafficking of cultural artifacts and natural resources
  2. the establishment of specialized units within law enforcement agencies dedicated to the protection of World Heritage sites
  3. the promotion of international cooperation in the investigation and prosecution of transnational criminal networks involved in illegal activities affecting World Heritage sites;

7. Calls upon Member States to increase resources allocated to the monitoring, protection and surveillance of World Heritage sites, including:

  1. investing in advanced technologies such as remote sensing, satellite imagery, and drone surveillance to detect and prevent illegal activities
  2. strengthening collaboration with local communities and indigenous groups in monitoring and reporting suspicious activities
  3. developing early warning systems to anticipate and mitigate potential threats to World Heritage sites
  4. strengthening collaboration with INTERPOL and other international organizations to combat transnational criminal networks
  5. developing and sharing databases of stolen cultural property to facilitate its recovery and repatriation
  6. providing training on effective law enforcement techniques, site security management, and community engagement strategies
  7. developing and disseminating best practices for combating illegal activities in different contexts and regions
  8. facilitating the exchange of information and expertise among site managers and law enforcement agencies;

8. Calls for the implementation of training programs in specializing workers for covering tourism management, anti-poaching and anti-logging strategists, and overall strengthening local law enforcement in tourism areas:

  1.  This provides new job opportunities for citizens while simultaneously safeguarding such valuable sites,
  2.  The training curriculum is provided by UNESCO covering the various issues that affect heritage sites and ways to combat them accordingly by:
  1. Due to the varying environments and issues that affect each site differently, the curriculum may and will be altered to suit the role of the enforcers and employees in their respective environments
  2. As well as providing appropriate law enforcement for such regions where general law enforcement is not appropriate for the task
  1. This promotes global and local cooperation and knowledge sharing between nations in the united goal of preserving culturally impactful sites,
  2. Also encourages and paves a path for impressionable students to volunteer and spearhead student-led organizations in creating a more sustainable environment for such sites that casts long term effects in citizen participation in preserving heritage sites and understanding such values held within these sites.