The UNESCO World Heritage Committee has outlined conditions for maintaining the international status of the Volcanoes of Kamchatka natural complex during its session in Seoul. Russian authorities have been given a deadline of early 2027 to finalize the creation of a new federal national park within the historical boundaries of the specially protected natural area. Failure to meet this requirement will result in the site being added to the List of World Heritage in Danger.
Concerns from UNESCO were triggered by the alteration of the boundaries of the South Kamchatka regional nature park in 2021. Following the territorial revision, specific parcels of land lost their legal protection, which the convention interprets as a direct threat to the integrity of the natural monument. The Russian delegation proposed resolving the situation by elevating the conservation status of the site. Regional clusters, including the South Kamchatka and Klyuchevskoy parks, are expected to be merged into the new Volcanoes of Kamchatka federal national park. The procedure for establishing this park has reached the final stage of administrative approval.
The committee positively assessed the steps taken to improve the management system of the site and to develop unified standards for all its sectors. Nevertheless, international experts outlined strict requirements for the protection of the entire territory. The new national park must encompass the exact areas that existed at the time the Kamchatka volcanoes were included in the UNESCO list. Special emphasis was placed on the necessity to return the Vilyuchinskaya and Zhirovaya bays under strict conservation protection.
Participants at the session concurrently reviewed the situation surrounding the Three Volcanoes Park, a large-scale tourism project. Russian officials provided assurances that the recreational infrastructure will be located outside the World Heritage site, while the master plan for the resort is currently undergoing expert review. The committee requested a detailed development concept from Moscow, including exact coordinates and a spatial connectivity layout detailing its proximity to the protected lands. Russia is also required to conduct a comprehensive strategic environmental assessment of the project in accordance with international principles.
A final decision regarding the Kamchatka dossier has been postponed for one year. Comprehensive evidence confirming the establishment of the national park within the required boundaries must be submitted to the World Heritage Centre no later than February 1, 2027. An absence of supporting documentation will highly likely trigger the reclassification of the Kamchatka volcanoes into the endangered category – a status indicating the need for urgent measures to prevent the degradation of the unique ecosystem.