In particular, there are sources speculating that Vietnam's famous natural heritage is at risk of being removed from the World Heritage list.
However, according to the affirmation of the Department of Cultural Heritage, UNESCO's sending of a field monitoring delegation to Ha Long is one of the contents that the Vietnamese delegation attending the 46th Session of the World Heritage Committee from July 21 to 31, 2024 discussed and agreed upon with the UNESCO World Heritage Center and the World Conservation Union (IUCN), the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS).
It is also necessary to reaffirm that UNESCO's sending of experts to conduct field surveys in Ha Long Bay is a periodic activity to ensure the integrity and outstanding global value of recognized heritages, and is not unusual.
The field survey aims to check the conservation status and management effectiveness of countries, not only for Ha Long Bay but also for hundreds of other heritages around the world.
However, Quang Ninh and Vietnam also need to pay attention to the eight recommendations related to Ha Long Bay - Cat Ba archipelago that UNESCO raised at the 46th Session of the World Heritage Committee.
These include ensuring that projects in the area undergo a thorough environmental impact assessment in line with UNESCO criteria. Despite progress, waste and water pollution still need to be more closely controlled; detailed zoning maps need to be completed to facilitate effective management; and the effectiveness of heritage governance and protection, and recommendations for improvement, among others.
The recommendation is also a reminder of Vietnam's responsibility to preserve its heritage, especially in the context of growing development and environmental challenges.
Around the world, many natural and cultural heritages have been listed as endangered or even withdrawn from the World Heritage list by UNESCO for reasons such as poor management, unsustainable exploitation or negative human impacts.
Some notable cases include the Belize Barrier Reef (Belize) which was threatened by oil exploration and pollution, but was removed from the list in 2018 thanks to strong conservation efforts.
The Sumatran rainforest (Indonesia) is listed as endangered due to deforestation and illegal hunting. The Elbe Valley Nature Reserve (Germany), was delisted in 2009 due to the construction of a four-lane bridge that disrupted the integrity of the heritage…
These examples show that any heritage can be put on the endangered list by UNESCO or even removed from the World Heritage list if it is subjective and does not strictly comply with UNESCO's recommendations.
