Overview:
The proposed Four Seasons resort at Ngerchelngael is not moving ahead in full just yet. Koror Gov. Eyos Rudimch says the project is awaiting discussions with UNESCO, ICOMOS and IUCN to clarify what development is permitted inside Palau’s World Heritage Site.
Koror State says the resort plans are being reviewed to determine what development is allowed within the Rock Islands Southern Lagoon World Heritage Site
By: L.N. Reklai
KOROR, Palau — Plans for a proposed Four Seasons resort on Ngerchelngael Island in Koror State will not proceed in full until consultations with UNESCO and its advisory bodies determine what development can be allowed within Palau’s World Heritage Site, Koror State Gov. Eyos Rudimch said.
Rudimch said discussions with the International Council on Monuments and Sites, known as ICOMOS, the International Union for Conservation of Nature, or IUCN, and UNESCO are planned for next week.
“I am hoping that they will tell us what can and cannot be done so the project can proceed,” Rudimch said, noting that the delay is costing investors money.
Rudimch also sought to dispel rumors that the Rock Islands Southern Lagoon World Heritage Site had been placed on a UNESCO “red list” because of the proposed development.
“We have not done anything, so we are not in violation of UNESCO,” he said.
The proposed resort is planned for Ngerchelngael, a privately owned island located within Koror State’s Rock Islands Southern Lagoon World Heritage Site. The island’s owner has leased the property to Four Seasons Resorts for the proposed development.
Because Ngerchelngael is located within the World Heritage Site, development is subject to restrictions intended to protect the area’s environmental, cultural and natural values. Activities that violate World Heritage protections could put the site’s designation at risk.
Rudimch said the project has not formally commenced and that no significant disturbance has been made to the island.
He said the upcoming discussions with UNESCO, ICOMOS and IUCN are intended to provide clearer guidance on what can and cannot be done at the site, allowing the project to move forward while complying with World Heritage requirements.
“We have not done anything,” Rudimch said, emphasizing that the state wants to ensure the project proceeds within the applicable rules.
The proposed development is also undergoing local environmental review.
The Palau Environmental Quality Protection Board is reviewing plans for the site and proposing mitigation measures related to planned alterations and activities.
The local and international reviews are expected to help determine the conditions under which development at Ngerchelngael may proceed while protecting the World Heritage Site.
The discussions are particularly significant because the Rock Islands Southern Lagoon is one of Palau’s most internationally recognized natural and cultural assets, and its World Heritage designation carries obligations for protecting its outstanding values.