The UNESCO World Heritage List includes 217 properties recognized for their outstanding natural heritage values. Despite UNESCO estimating that up to a quarter of these World Heritage sites are under development pressure from existing and future activities of extractive industries, to date, there is no reliable analysis of the extent of overlap on a global scale. To address this absence of evidence, UNEP-WCMC, together with IUCN (the Advisory Body to the UNESCO World Heritage Committee on natural heritage), the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM) (whose members have made a ‘no-go’ commitment for natural World Heritage sites), and WWF, conducted the first global analysis of extractive activities and World Heritage sites based on data from two industry datasets.

Using global spatial data provided by industry bodies on the location of extractive activity, this analysis provides information on the degree of overlap and the proximity of World Heritage sites and extractive operations. Owing to limitations in the availability, character and spatial accuracy of such data this analysis does not capture every extractive operation, nor instance of overlap. In addition, this study does not seek to analyse impacts from extractive activities as it does not include information on local environmental conditions. However, as the first and only global, spatial analysis of its sort the results of this work will provide much needed spatial information which can be used in conjunction with other fieldbased studies of the impacts of the extractive industry on World Heritage sites. For example, UNESCO/IUCN State of Conservation Reports bdetail on-ground observations of extractive activities in World Heritage sites and, consequently, give a comprehensive indication of industry impacts with respect to local environmental and social conditions. IUCN is currently developing a State of World Heritage monitoring system for all natural and mixed World Heritage Sites, which will be published in 2014. However, such field studies are limited by the scale at which they can operate and the global analysis presented in this report may identify additional, and hitherto unknown, areas which overlap or occur in proximity to extractive sites. Moreover, used in combination, these types of studies can demonstrate data deficiencies and areas in need of further attention.

By providing an initial estimation of global statistics on the location and extent of overlap between the extractives sector and World Heritage sites, this analysis may help direct future management and conservation strategies and will enable the project partners, governments and the World Heritage Centre to communicate and engage on this issue on a global scale.