UNESCO World Heritage Committee: "Notes with Concern" Unapproved Dam Construction on the Nu River

In its 2011 annual meeting, the UNESCO World Heritage Committee expressed concern that unapproved dam construction was occurring on the Nu River, and dams were approved for the Jinsha River. In neither case have Environmental Impact Assessments been submited to the World Heritage Centre. China has until 1 February 2012 to submit a list and maps of all dams and their Environmental Impact Assessments.

Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan Protected Area (China)

The World Heritage Committee Decision 35 COM 7B.12

Having examined Document WHC-11/35.COM/7B,

• Recalling Decision 32COM 7B.11, adopted at its 32nd session (Quebec City, 2008),
• Notes with concern reports that unapproved construction has begun at the Liuku dam on the Nu River outside the property, which appears to have resulted in the displacement of the Lisu people and the construction of new roads adjacent to its boundaries, and notes reports that surveying for four projects - Maji, Yabilou, Liuku and Saige, outside the boundary - is underway, including drilling and road construction;
• Also notes the State Party's report that a dam has been approved outside the property on the Jinsha River, 30 km from the buffer zone of the Haba Snow Mountain sub-unit, as well as reports of active applications for dams at Ludila and Longkiakou on the Jinsha River, and regrets that no Environmental Impact Assessment has been submitted to the World Heritage Centre, in conformity with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines;
• Considers that the many proposed dams could cumulatively constitute a potential danger to the property's Outstanding Universal Value, as defined in Paragraph 180(b)(ii) of the Operational Guidelines;
• Requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre by 1 February 2012 a detailed list and map of all proposed dams and mines that could affect the property, and to submit to the World Heritage Centre the Environmental Impact Assessments for any such dam and mining proposals, prior to their approval, in conformity with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines;
• Also requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2012, a report on the state of conservation of the property and on the progress made in undertaking a Strategic Environmental Assessment of all the proposed dams and ancillary development that could potentially affect the property's Outstanding Universal Value, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 36th session in 2012.