Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2016L00002:front:0:p165
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2016L00002
Segment Type: other
Provision Reference: 
Character Range: 473069–476075

is regulated under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) and EPBC Regulations 2000 (see also 8.11: Research and monitoring activities and access to genetic resources).

World Heritage Convention
Australia is a party to the World Heritage Convention, which aims to promote cooperation among nations to protect heritage that is of such outstanding universal value that its conservation is important for current and future generations. The convention's primary mission is to define and conserve the world's heritage by drawing up a list of sites whose outstanding values should be preserved for all humanity and to ensure their protection through a closer cooperation among nations.

Parties to the convention undertake to identify, protect, conserve, present and transmit to future generations the World Heritage listed sites on their territory. The operational guidelines for implementing the World Heritage Convention include requirements that each World Heritage area should have a management plan and should have adequate long-term legislative protection.

Stage One of the park was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1981 and Stage Two in 1987. The whole of the park was listed in December 1992. Kakadu is one of the few sites that are listed under the World Heritage Convention for both cultural and natural values. Appendix A to this plan summarises the features of Kakadu that meet the cultural and natural World Heritage criteria.

World Heritage management principles are prescribed by the EPBC Regulations (Schedule 5). An extract from the principles is at Appendix A to this plan.

Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat 1971 (Ramsar Convention)
This international agreement is more commonly known as the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, and originally aimed to conserve and wisely use wetlands primarily as habitat for waterbirds. Over the years, the Ramsar Convention's scope has broadened to cover all aspects of wetland conservation and wise use, recognising that wetland ecosystems are important for both biodiversity conservation and the well-being of human communities.

To achieve its aims, the Ramsar Convention requires international cooperation, policy making, capacity building and technology transfer from its members. All wetlands listed under the Ramsar Convention are recognised as matters of national environmental significance under the EPBC Act. As such, approval is required for actions that will have, or are likely to have a significant impact on the ecological character of a Ramsar-listed wetland.

Sites are selected for the List of Wetlands of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention because of ecological, botanical, zoological, limnological or hydrological importance.

Kakadu National Park was previously two separate Ramsar sites. The wetlands of Stage 1 of Kakadu were first listed in June 1980 and the Ramsar site was later extended to include the wetlands of Stage