World Heritage as a Tool for Biodiversity Conservation – Contributions to KMGBF Implementation

COP17 offers a timely opportunity to highlight the contribution of UNESCO’s World Heritage Convention to achieving global biodiversity targets, particularly Target 1 on area-based conservation planning and Target 3 (30x30) of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF). Natural World Heritage Sites harbour exceptional concentrations of globally threatened species, intact habitats and landscapes and provide internationally recognized frameworks that can directly support national KMGBF contributions.

Building on Michael Succow Foundation’s experience supporting World Heritage nominations in the South Caucasus and Central Asia, the proposed side-event titled World Heritage as a Tool for Biodiversity Conservation – Contributions to KMGBF Implementation will bring together UNESCO experts, national focal points, protected area practitioners, and representatives of CBD Parties. The event will explore how World Heritage designations can serve as delivery mechanisms for the KMGBF and how countries can better integrate these instruments into their national biodiversity strategies and commitments. For instance provides the process of world heritage nomination already incentives for measuring and improving management effectiveness and thus increases the quality of protected and conserved areas management. Under circumstances it may serve also towards the IUCN green list standards.

For Armenia as the host country, the event could also open a conversation to explore the potential for the country’s first natural or mixed World Heritage nomination, addressing a notable gap in the country's otherwise strong World Heritage profile. It could also initiate a broader discussion on Natural World heritage sites in South Caucasus including transboundary or transnational heritage sites in the region.