ABSTRACT
World Heritage and sustainable development are not antagonists, but rather two fields that can enter into a harmonious and even mutually beneficial relationship if the existing synergies and interrelationships are properly harnessed. The 2030 Agenda, as a formulation of specific Sustainable Development Goals, has great potential to enrich the World Heritage field and vice versa. For this reason, this chapter will provide some insight into this complex and multifaceted topic. First, it will delineate the framework within which the linkage between sustainable development and World Heritage takes place, namely the World Heritage Convention and the 2030 Agenda. Then it will examine the institutional framework as a consolidator and driver of an integrated approach. Finally, this chapter will highlight some of the prevailing challenges to successfully harmonizing the nexus between World Heritage and sustainable development. It will conclude by noting that World Heritage can unquestionably contribute to solving some sustainability challenges and, in some cases, may even be a key component. The Agenda for Sustainable Development beyond 2030 should clearly take this into consideration.
