Tentative Lists

Tentative Lists
Name	Tentative Lists
Jurisdiction	International
Established	1972 (UNESCO World Heritage Convention)
Administered by	United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

Tentative Lists

Tentative Lists are formal inventories maintained by State Parties to the UNESCO World Heritage Convention that record cultural and natural properties proposed for nomination to the World Heritage Committee. They function as a procedural gateway between national inventories such as those of the United Kingdom, France, Japan, United States, Australia, Brazil, India, China, Germany and the international evaluation conducted by International Council on Monuments and Sites, International Union for Conservation of Nature, and the World Heritage Centre. Preparation of a Tentative List involves coordination among national bodies like the Ministry of Culture (France), National Park Service (United States), Australian Heritage Council and regional organizations including the European Union and the African Union.

Definition and Purpose

A Tentative List is an official inventory maintained by a State Party to the UNESCO World Heritage Convention that identifies properties it intends to consider for nomination to the World Heritage Committee. The list supports strategic planning by national authorities such as the Ministry of Culture (Italy), Ministerio de Cultura (Peru), State Administration of Cultural Heritage (China), and it provides a basis for international advice from bodies like ICOMOS and IUCN. Tentative Lists also facilitate technical cooperation with institutions such as the World Bank, UNDP, and conservation partners including the Getty Conservation Institute, UNESCO World Heritage Centre and regional heritage agencies.

Criteria and Eligibility

Eligibility for inclusion on a Tentative List requires that a property be located within the territory of the State Party and meet the potential to satisfy one or more of the World Heritage Committee's criteria for Outstanding Universal Value. States reference criteria established in the Operational Guidelines for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention and may consult expert bodies including ICOMOS, IUCN, ICCROM and national research institutes like the Smithsonian Institution and the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. Properties already inscribed on registers such as the National Register of Historic Places or the Monuments historiques may be proposed for transnational nomination with partners like UNESCO Global Geoparks or through initiatives involving ICOMOS International Scientific Committees.

Preparation and Submission Process

Preparation of a Tentative List usually involves inventorying, documentation, mapping and stakeholder consultation led by agencies such as the Ministry of Culture (Spain), National Heritage Board of Poland, Heritage Council (Ireland), and municipal authorities like the City of Rome administration. States submit Tentative Lists to the World Heritage Centre following templates and timeframes set in the Operational Guidelines. Technical studies may engage universities like University of Oxford, Harvard University, Peking University and consultancies that worked on projects for entities including the European Commission and the Council of Europe. Transboundary nominations require coordination with neighboring States Parties such as France and Switzerland on the Alps or Argentina and Chile on the Andes.

National and International Roles

National ministries, heritage agencies, municipal governments and indigenous organizations such as Assembly of First Nations or Sámi Parliament play central roles in preparing Tentative Lists. International organizations including the World Heritage Committee, UNESCO World Heritage Centre, ICOMOS, IUCN and donor agencies like UNDP and the European Union provide evaluation, advisory services and capacity-building. Intergovernmental mechanisms such as the UN General Assembly and conventions like the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage can influence priorities while bilateral partners including France and Japan support training and conservation.

Impact on World Heritage Designation

Inclusion on a Tentative List is a prerequisite for formal nomination to the World Heritage Committee and can mobilize funding streams from institutions such as the Global Environment Facility, World Bank and philanthropic bodies like the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Tentative List status can elevate local conservation efforts, trigger regional planning frameworks involving the European Commission or the African Union and foster partnerships with agencies such as the Smithsonian Institution and Getty Foundation. Several inscriptions have followed prolonged inclusion on Tentative Lists, exemplified by transboundary successes involving Germany, Poland and Czech Republic.

Criticisms and Controversies

Critiques focus on politicization by national authorities including allegations involving ministries in countries such as Egypt, Turkey, Russia and Saudi Arabia where selections have sparked domestic disputes, displacement concerns involving indigenous communities like the Maori and Mapuche, and debates about tourism pressures in sites such as Machu Picchu, Mont-Saint-Michel and the Great Barrier Reef. Academic critics from institutions like University College London, Stanford University and The Australian National University have questioned transparency, stakeholder participation and the influence of development interests represented by multinationals and state-owned enterprises.

Examples by Country

Many States Parties maintain extensive Tentative Lists: for example, Italy lists urban ensembles including Venice-related sites, France has entries linked to Normandy, Spain includes routes tied to Camino de Santiago, Mexico has proposals related to Chichen Itza environs, China proposes sites from Forbidden City precincts to Guilin landscapes, India lists cultural complexes such as those near Agra and Hampi, Brazil includes Amazonian and Atlantic Forest sites, Egypt has Nile and archaeological proposals near Luxor, while Australia and New Zealand feature Aboriginal and Māori cultural landscapes. Canada has Arctic and colonial-era entries, Russia lists historic towns like Kremlin of Kazan, and South Africa proposes natural and cultural properties tied to Robben Island-era history and biodiversity hotspots. Category:World Heritage lists