Embracing Diversity, Correcting Inequalities: Towards a New Global Governance for the UNESCO World Heritage

Abstract

The paper addresses imbalances affecting world heritage sites in terms of how well conserved they are and what resources are available for their valorisation. We propose a policy mechanism of global governance divided into three steps. The first is a tax mechanism based on collecting resources from tourist activities and redistributing these resources at a regional level. The second step is meant to ensure an objective approach to measuring the needs and risk value of world heritage sites. The third step consists in using valorisation strategies to generate new economic resources, in particular from cultural tourism. Our proposal is a contribution to the growing literature on UNESCO World Heritage sites and it helps ground the approach to decision making adopted to raise funds for conservation.

Keywords: World heritage, Unesco, Global public goods, Earmarked tax

JEL Classification: Z1, F5, H87