Heritage | UNESCO concerned about impact of land reclamation

The UNESCO World Heritage Committee has expressed concerns about the impact of Macau’s land reclamation projects on world heritage sites, according to a report by TDM Radio Portuguese.

Earlier, the committee held a conference in Baku, Azerbaijan, during which it mentioned it was worried that land reclamation projects would have a negative impact on Macau as a historical city.

As a result, UNESCO now requires Macau to balance the benefits of the new urban zone plan and the protection of its historic center, which is a world heritage site. The potential impact of new development, including visual impact, should continue to comply with UNESCO guidelines. UNESCO further requested an evaluation of the impact.

The World Heritage Committee also discussed Macau’s plan for the new urban zones A and B, adding that despite the new zones not being within the protected world heritage areas, their plans should still comply with UNESCO’s principles and recommendations for the landscape of historic areas.

The committee also discussed the heights of the planned buildings and the universal values of Macau’s historical district.

The local government has been preparing to submit two plans to UNESCO, both relating to the development of the new urban zone.

In 2017, UNESCO voiced its concerns about Macau’s world heritage protections, in particular, regarding land reclamation.

UNESCO had already expressed its concerns over new urban zone B’s plan in 2017. The committee was worried that the projects would damage the view from the east side of Penha Hill. JZ