HIST Delegation Visits UNEP-WCMC Office in Cambridge, United Kingdom

HIST Delegation composed of Mr. Hong Tianhua and Prof. Natarajan Ishwaran visited UNEP-WCMC in Cambridge, UK on 15 June 2015 following their participation in the 27th session of the MAB/ICC from 8 to 12 June 2015 at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, France.
Dr. Jon Hutton, Director of UNEP-WCMC Office and member of HIST Governing Board, warmly received the HIST Delegation.
WCMC originated as a Conservation Monitoring Centre of the International Union of the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) in 1979. It became the World Conservation Monitoring Centre in the 1980s under the auspices of IUCN and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). In 2000 WCMC became part of UNEP, the principal environmental organ of the United Nations. UNEP-WCMC is the provider of data for the establishment and maintenance of the UN List of Protected Areas as well as a number of UN Conventions on biodiversity and conservation.
UNEP-WCMC holds the largest and the most comprehensive datasets in the world on parks and protected areas as well as biodiversity. IUCN relies on the data and services provided by UNEP-WCMC in its evaluation of natural and mixed properties nominated by UNESCO Member States for inscription on the World Heritage List. Data and advisory services of UNEP-WCMC are critical to periodic as well as reactive monitoring of World Heritage sites by IUCN and the World Heritage Centre of UNESCO. IUCN and UNEP-WCMC have collaborated in the production of a series of publications, particularly on the identification of potential sites for future nominations as well as outlooks for the 228 natural and mixed sites that are currently included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. These and other important publications can be accessed via the UNEP-WCMC website: http://www.unep-wcmc.org.
During the morning of 15 June 2015, Mr. Hong and Prof. Ishwaran were briefed by Dr. Hutton and his colleagues on their work on protected areas, effectiveness of forest conservation within and outside of protected areas, remote sensing based projects and partnerships as well as on World Heritage studies and initiatives. Mr. Hong made a presentation, introducing the history, mandate, vision and mission and on-going projects and activities of HIST. For example, Mr. Hong informed Dr. Hutton and his team on the results of the HIST/APSARA project on the “Remote Sensing of the Environment of Angkor Site (REAS)”.
Following the presentations, broad-based discussions ensued focusing on potential areas of work on which HIST and UNEP-WCMC could collaborate. UNEP-WCMC has a database of maps of all the 228 natural and mixed sites currently designated as World Heritage sites and access to that database would greatly facilitate HIST work in collaboration with its various partners. World Heritage Outlook that combines World Heritage sites data and information and management effectiveness guidelines established by IUCN’s World Commission on Protected Areas could also be a tool for facilitating work of HIST partnerships in Asia and Africa.
Use of remote sensing to visualize status land use changes immediately outside of natural and mixed properties inscribed on the World Heritage List could be critical in monitoring their conservation status. Remote sensing skills and expertise available within HIST and its host institution, The Aerospace Information Research Institute (AIR) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) could be of value in WCMC’s work to promote international cooperation for World Heritage sites. Interest on building similar databases for other UNESCO designated places, in particular biosphere reserves which include legally protected core areas as well as additional buffer and transition zones as part of the designated area was expressed.
HIST and UNEP-WCMC will continue communications to exchange of data and information as well as staff and expertise to explore developing joint initiatives on remote sensing and other technology applications for World Heritage sites and biosphere reserves. Mr. Hong informed UNEP-WCMC colleagues of the success of the 1st Huangshan Dialogue convened in May 2014 and plans currently being elaborated for the 2nd Dialogue to be convened during the latter half of 2016. Preparations for the 2nd Huangshan Dialogue could provide opportunities for HIST and UNEP-WCMC to collaborate in studies and research whose findings may be presented at the Dialogue in late 2016. Dr. Hutton and Mr. Hong agreed to continue discussions and explore all possibilities for collaboration with a view to identifying specific actions for the future during Dr. Hutton’s visit to Beijing in January 2016 to attend the next session of HIST Governing Board.