ABSTRACT
The principle of sustainability is a pillar of international cultural heritage law. It informs the interpretation and implementation of the UNESCO Culture Conventions and reinforces the essential role of culture and cultural heritage in the effective enjoyment of human rights, and the maintenance of peace and security. This chapter traces the evolution of international cultural heritage law in tandem with the right to development and the New International Economic Order (NIEO) through to the operationalization of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. It then provides an overview of the application of the sustainability principle in the operation of the Culture Conventions, that is, the 1954 Hague Convention on Protection during Armed Conflict; the 1970 Convention on Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property; the 1972 World Heritage Convention; the 2001 Underwater Cultural Heritage Convention; the 2003 Intangible Cultural Heritage Convention; and the 2005 Convention on Diversity of Cultural Expressions. The chapter concludes with a consideration of how the principle of sustainability is evolving in respect of the international protection of cultural heritage and its effect on international cultural heritage law more generally.
