UNESCO World Heritage Committee: Expresses "Serious Concern" Over Dams on the Changuinola and Bonyic Rivers

Date: 
Thursday, July 21, 2011

In its 2011 annual meeting, the UNESCO World Heritage Committee expressed serious concern over planned and existing dams in Panama and Costa Rica. IUCN and the World Heritage Centre will conduct a monitoring mission this year.

Talamanca Range-La Amistad Reserves/La Amistad National Park (Costa Rica/Panama)

The World Heritage Committee Decision 35 COM 7B.29

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

  • Recalling Decision 34 COM 7B.32, adopted at its 34th session (Brasilia, 2010),
  • Regrets that the State Party of Panama did not submit a report on the state of conservation of the property, as requested by the World Heritage Committee at its 34th session;
  • Notes with appreciation the efforts of both the States Parties of Costa Rica and Panama to establish a Bi-national Executing Technical Unit for the management of La Amistad International Park (UTEB-PILA), and to commission a transboundary Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA), as requested by the World Heritage Committee at its 34th session, and requests the States Parties to keep the World Heritage Centre informed on the effective operation of the UTEB-PILA, and submit a copy of the complete SEA report to the World Heritage Centre for examination, as soon as it becomes available;
  • Expresses its serious concern that the State Party of Panama has not halted dam construction on the Changuinola and Bonyic rivers until a detailed transboundary Strategic Environmental Assessment process is undertaken, and considers that ongoing discussions over the construction of new dams within the property in Costa Rica, if not immediately resolved, could lead to conditions whereby the integrity of the property would be considered threatened, in accordance with Paragraph 180 (a) (ii) of the Operational Guidelines;
  • Also expresses its concern that the State Party of Panama has not abandoned its plans to build a road traversing the property from Boquete to Bocas del Toro, and reiterates its request that it submit preliminary environmental impact assessments for this development to the World Heritage Centre as soon as these are available;
  • Also reiterates its request to both States Parties that measures be adopted to ensure the complete removal of cattle from the property;
  • Also requests both States Parties of Costa Rica and Panama to jointly invite a joint World Heritage Centre/IUCN reactive monitoring mission to the property prior to its 36th session, which should assess the threat posed by ongoing dam construction in Panama, by potential dam developments and mining in Costa Rica, and from the planned road traversing the property from Boquete to Bocas del Toro, and make a recommendation on the possible inscription of the property on the List of World Heritage in Danger;
  • Further requests both States Parties of Costa Rica and Panama to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2012, a joint report on the state of conservation of the property, including progress on the transboundary dam Strategic Environmental Assessment, a report on progress achieved in resolving land tenure and land use issues (Costa Rica), as well as on the other points raised above, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 36th session in 2012.