The Pacific Context

Abstract

This chapter explains the context for the implementation of the World Heritage Convention in the Pacific, laying a foundation for more detailed analysis in subsequent chapters. It examines the types of heritage sites prevalent in the Pacific, and the key threats to such places. It then explains how a legacy of colonialism in the region is the creation of legally plural States, in which both customary and State laws apply. The scope for World Heritage to be protected under customary and State legal systems is also assessed. This includes analysing the economic, social, and political context within which those systems operate. The chapter argues that greater understanding of how customary and State laws operate and interact is needed to strengthen the protection of Pacific heritage.