The Reserve of the Mountain Range Talamanca-La Amistad, located in part of Panama and Costa Rica, will be absent for the moment from the list of heritage sites of the world in danger.
The decision of the United Nations Education, Science and Culture Organization (Unesco) recognized the joint efforts of both countries, with the objective of securing the integrity of the area, reason why it conceded time for the solution of the main problems, according to a communiqué of the Panamanian Ministry of the Environment.
It also says the Committee of World Heritage, Natural and Cultural of Unesco, during its 40th session, took note of the actions carried out by Panama to attend the reiterated recommendations, particularly in all regarding hydroelectric projects in nearby zones.
Additionally, the decision of the international organism included to expedite a strategic transborder environmental evaluation and the implementation of measures to minimize the negative impacts of human activities.
The area extends for over 400 thousand hectares of mountains, where the highest peaks of Panama and Costa Rica are located, besides occupying part of the central west zone and the east of Costa Rica.
This bi-national park, whose threat of damage was essentially provoked by hydroelectric plants, it is an important geological sample of the glaciation in the Quaternary period, especially due to the morphology of the land and the glaciar lagoons, characteristics for which it was declared patrimonial site in 1983.
The mentioned Committee of Unesco is an intergovernmental organ formed by 21 States and its annual meeting of 2016 takes place at present in Istambul, Turkey, and will extend until July 20.
The places included in the list of Patrimonial Natural and Cultural Sites “carry out a function of milestones in the planet, symbols of the States and peoples becoming aware of the importance of those places and the emblems of attachment to collective property, as well as the transmission of that patrimony to future generations”, says the Unesco website.
Sources: Prensa Latina, Unesco
