ABSTRACT

The implementation of the World Heritage Convention is supported by an evolving system of guidelines, principles and strategies. The key instruments for implementing the convention are the World Heritage List, the List of World Heritage in Danger (LWHD) and the process for monitoring the state of conservation of World Heritage properties. This chapter looks at key policies and strategies in implementing the convention and the contribution of new approaches to the conservation of heritage of outstanding universal value (OUV) through a credible World Heritage List. The Operational Guidelines for Implementing the World Heritage Convention are fundamental to the implementation of the convention, both as a methodological tool, and in the bringing together of principles and strategies to address key issues and concerns relating to World Heritage properties. In 1992, the World Heritage Convention became the first international legal instrument to protect cultural landscapes and to recognize landscapes as an interface between cultural diversity and biodiversity.