Governance arrangements and decision-making processes

Managing heritage places and maintaining their contribution to broader sustainable development requires effective collaboration between multiple actors, sectors and decision-making levels. Whenever choices and decisions are made about the protection of a heritage place, some form of governance is needed that enables people to exercise their rights, influence, authority and responsibilities over that place. Thus, who has decision-making power and what processes are followed when choosing what actions to implement, influences deeply how a heritage place is managed.

In the case of World Heritage, understanding the governance arrangements in place takes on particular importance. The inclusion of a property on the World Heritage List brings additional responsibilities and greater national and international oversight but also additional monitoring procedures to demonstrate in a transparent way that requirements for protection and management are met. Decision-making processes for the property itself – but also its buffer zone(s) and wider setting – become more challenging as multiple administrative levels are involved requiring further collaboration and coordination. In addition, to ensure that the rights  of all actors (managers, rightsholders  and stakeholders), are recognised and respected, there is a need for platforms for people to be able to express their voice and have a say in advising and/or making decisions about the heritage place and how those decisions will affect them.