The Marshall Islands Mayors’
Association hosted an awareness meeting for UNESCO’s World
Heritage convention last week in Majuro.
World Heritage is an international convention that aims to
protect outstanding places of cultural and natural
significance. Since 1972, World Heritage has inducted about
800 properties, the majority for their cultural
significance. More recently, however, natural sites have
been added to the preservation list.
In 1988 East Rennel,
Solomon Islands, was classified as a World Heritage natural
site; it remains the Pacific’s only World Heritage listing.
The RMI’s Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) is
looking to earn World Heritage status for other land and
marine ecosystems in the Pacific.
Alele and the EPA sent representatives to a World Heritage
Pacific roundtable held in October; their objective was to
galvanize Pacific nations to apply for World Heritage
recognition.
Dr. Carmen Petrosian-Husa
of Alele and Lihla Noori of the RMI EPA presented potential
sites in the Marshalls, regional applications, and World
Heritage requirements to the Marshall Islands Mayors’
Association (MIMA).
The presentation was a
success, evoking discussion on how best to establish a World
Heritage Committee and the possibility of networking the
three regional conservation-oriented conventions.
Consolidating the efforts
of the Convention for Biodiversity, RAMSAR, and a World
Heritage committee would result in a single task force to
protect national biodiversity and habitats.
A subsequent meeting will
coordinate the administration of the different agencies
involved — Alele, EPA, and the Office of Environment Policy
Planning and Coordination (OEPPC); is it viable to merge
these agencies’ activities and use their established
steering committees on biodiversity?
Consolidating the talents
of these various committees, says a recent EPA press
release, will allow the country to more effectively advocate
for World Heritage status for its cultural and natural
diversity.
DeBrum said “funding for
the Section 177 program comes at a critical time for the RMI,
since the Nuclear Claims Tribunal can no longer support the
doctors and other personnel who have provided essential
services in both Majuro and on the atolls. Recognition by
the US Congress and President Bush of the continuing need
for this program is also important as we prepare for a
review on Capitol Hill of our changed circumstances
petition.”
In addition to the
education and 177 funding, the bill approved by the
President includes an increase of $2 million over the $4.3
million requested by the Bush Administration for FY 2005
Department of Energy programs in the RMI. In the
legislation, Congress specifically noted its intent that
these RMI programs to be fully funded at the traditional
amount of $6.3 million. |
