Action Alert - October, 2005
Dave Blanton, Executive Director

...

Dear IGTOA Members,

Just after our last newsletter went out, the UNESCO World Heritage Committee sent IGTOA its Galapagos report. They asked us to wait until Ecuador had received it before sending it out.

Their report reflects the growing unease that the international community has felt over the management of the islands. In brief, it has made the following recommendations and requests:

• Fully implement Special Law for Galapagos by Feb 2007.
• Restore National Park’s credibility and authority.
• Form a joint commission with UN to examine conservation, develop long-term vision, and decide whether Galapagos should be on World Heritage in Danger list.
• Report by February 1 on migration and illegal fishing.

Below is text of their report that has been edited for clarity. The original version is also included.

IGTOA is in contact with the World Heritage Committee and will orchestrate our efforts with them.

David Blanton
Executive Director, IGTOA
exd@igtoa.org
ph: (607) 351-1120
706 Cayuga Heights Rd.
Ithaca, NY 14850 USA
www.igtoa.org

EDITED TEXT
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Decisions adopted at the 29th session of the World Heritage Committee (Durban, 2005)

The World Heritage Committee:

• notes with concern the on-going events in Galapagos and their potentially negative impact on the integrity of the Galapagos National Park and Marine Reserve.
• requests Ecuador to ensure by 1 February 2007 the full application of the provisions of the Special Law for Galapagos of its attendant regulations, which set the legal framework under which all activities in Galapagos take place.
• regrets that the government did not submit a report for the examination of the property as requested by the Committee.
• encourages Ecuador to implement all necessary measures that would reestablish the Galapagos National Park Service’s credibility and authority in carrying out its statutory mandate.
• invites the Director General of UNESCO to launch, in cooperation with Ecuador, a high level initiative, with the participation of other interested UN bodies and donors, and with the objective of developing a practical, consensus-based long-term vision for Galapagos focusing on conservation and sustainable development.
• requests Ecuador to invite, in the context of the above mentioned initiative, a joint UNESCO/IUCN mission to the property to examine its state of conservation and in particular to advise in the development of a long term vision initiative for Galapagos Islands, focusing on conservation and sustainable development, and on whether conditions warrant for inclusion of the property on the List of World Heritage in Danger.
• further requests Ecuador to submit a report by 1 February 2006 on the application of the Special Law for Galapagos, with an emphasis on migratory control and illegal fishing, for examination by the Committee at its 30th session.

ORIGINAL TEXT
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29. Galapagos Islands (Ecuador) (N 1 bis)
Decision 29 COM 7B.29

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC-05/29.COM/7B.Add and the Draft Decision 29 COM 7B.29.Rev,
2. Recalling its Decision 28 COM 15B.31 adopted at its 28th session (Suzhou,
   2004), Decisions adopted at the 29th session of the World Heritage Committee WHC-05/29.COM/22, p. 58 (Durban, 2005)
3. Notes with concern the on-going events in Galapagos and their potentially negative impact on the integrity of the Galapagos National Park and Marine Reserve;
4. Requests the State Party of Ecuador to ensure by 1 February 2007 the full application of the provisions of the Special Law for Galapagos of its attendant regulations, which set the legal framework under which all activities in Galapagos take place;
5. Regrets that the State Party did not submit a report for the examination of the property as requested by the Committee;
6. Encourages the State Party to implement all necessary measures that would reestablish the Galapagos National Park Service‚s credibility and authority in carrying out its statutory mandate;
7. Invites the Director General of UNESCO to launch, in cooperation with the State Party, a high level initiative, with the participation of other interested UN bodies and donors, and with the objective of developing a practical, consensusbased long term vision for Galapagos focusing on conservation and sustainable development
8. Also requests the State Party to invite, in the context of the abovementioned initiative, a joint UNESCO/IUCN mission to the property to examine its state of conservation and in particular to advise in the development of a long term vision initiative for Galapagos Islands, focusing on conservation and sustainable development, and on whether conditions warrant for inclusion of the property on the List of World Heritage in Danger
9. Further requests the State Party to submit a report by 1 February 2006 on the application of the Special Law for Galapagos, with an emphasis on migratory control and illegal fishing, for examination by the Committee at its 30th session (Vilnius, 2006).