Governing World Heritage – Taking Stock of the Structures that Determine the Protection and Conservation of World Heritage Sites

Abstract

AbstractThe World Heritage Convention combines efforts of heritage protection and conservation on the global, national and local level. It has been adopted by almost 200 countries and has a complex governance system with actors on every level. While these actors are critical to the protection and conservation of World Heritage Sites, very limited research is available that assesses their role and the importance of governmental and managerial structures on a holistic level. This study assesses different governance structures and illustrates how they influence protective efforts. The World Heritage Site Index, which is a comprehensive database of information from almost 900 World Heritage Sites, creates a unique perspective that allows for the comparative assessment of sites regardless of their designation or typology. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach, the study reveals clear governance structures that influence the protection of World Heritage Sites and offers a perspective on potential steps toward ensuring that these structures work for and not against the protection and conservation of these sites.