The Concept of ‘World Heritage’ and Its Application in the Pacific

Abstract

This chapter examines the concept of ‘World Heritage’ and assesses the extent to which Pacific Island heritage ‘fits’ within the World Heritage Convention regime. After briefly explaining the history of the Convention, the chapter explores the World Heritage Committee’s changing interpretation of the notion of ‘outstanding universal value’. It demonstrates that there is now considerable scope for Pacific Island heritage to meet the requirements for World Heritage listing. However, the implications of listing a site that possesses markedly different global and local significance warrant careful consideration, particularly the challenges this may present for conservation.