IUCN/UNESCO
July 14, 2006

‘Hydro-development plans and associated environmental impact assessments need to be released as soon as possible to resolve outstanding uncertainties’ as to whether proposed dams will harm the World Heritage site, IUCN/UNESCO inspectors write.

Executive summary A reactive monitoring mission to the Three Parallel Rivers World Heritage Site took place from 5-15 April 2006. The mission was composed of IUCN/UNESCO representatives as requested by the 29th session of the Committee. The objective was to evaluate progress made on the conservation of the property as per recommendations of the Committee at the time of its inscription and to assess the impacts of planned dams on the outstanding universal values of the site, its integrity and downstream communities. The WHS was inscribed in 2003 on the basis of all four natural criteria. It is a serial site composed of 8 clusters with a total area of around 1.7M ha. The Ministry of Construction is responsible for the management of the site with the assistance of other Ministries, Institutes, academics and the Yunnan World Heritage Site Management Committee Office (established in 2003) as well as a Management Bureau of some 60 staff operating out of three centres, one per prefecture. Based on the visit, meetings held pre and post site visit and during the visit, as well as from reading available materials, there are a number of threats to the conservation status of this World heritage property. A principal concern and cause for the mission was to assess whether proposed dams will have an impact on the WHS. The development plans as well as the associated environmental impact statements have not been approved nor made available for general review.