Category: <span>World Heritage Convention</span>

The “Western Tien-Shan” has been temporarily saved from dams and mines

July 20, 2025 Thanks to the efforts of conservation community, it was possible, at least, to postpone the destruction of the unique UNESCO World Heritage Site “Western Tien-Shan”. During the intense discussion at the 47th session of the World Heritage Committee in Paris, a compromise decision was adopted, which, nevertheless, …

World Bank’s financing role in the Rogun Hydropower Plant facing scrutiny

Eurasianet. Apr 11, 2025 An aerial view of construction works at Rogun. (Photo: president.tj) The World Bank is under fire over allegations of impropriety in financing the Rogun Dam project in Tajikistan. Specifically, bank officials are facing accusations that they failed to comply with procedures to account for potential environmental …

State of Renewables: Hydropower is a Harmful Outsider

This week the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) released a new Report Renewable Capacity Statistics 2025. Its contents are very predictable, almost boring: a new wave of unprecedented growth in renewable capacity installation in 2024. The 585 GW addition of RE last year holds a 92.5% share of the total …

UNESCO-IUCN mission visits Western Tien Shan amidst growing threats to the World Heritage

A UNESCO and the International Union for Conservation of Nature reactive monitoring mission has completed a visit to Central Asia to assess the state of the transboundary World Heritage Site Western Tien Shan. During the visit, experts studied the threats associated with plans for economic development of the territory. Rivers without Boundaries Public Foundation reports. Illegal gold …

Russian-language version of the UNESCO Guidance for Impact Assessments in a World Heritage Context Published in Kazakhstan

On June 11, 2024, Rivers without Boundaries and the UNESCO regional office for Central Asia in Almaty (Kazakhstan) received printed copies of the first edition of the Russian translation of the special Guidance for impact assessments in a World Heritage context. The publication was supported by the Critical Ecosystems Conservation …

Civil Society Organizations appeal to international banks and funds urging them to rethink approach to the Rogun Hydro in Tajikistan

Today on the 27th International Day of Action for Rivers we make public the appeal by international and local CSOs which was sent to the World Bank and 15 other financiers – members of the “Rogun Coordination Group”. This blog republished from the Coalition for Human rights in Development explains …