Vienna’s city center remains on the UNESCO Red List – decision is approaching!

Vienna’s city center remains on the UNESCO Red List – decision is approaching!

Starting this Sunday, the UNESCO World Heritage Committee will meet in Paris and the decision on the historic center of Vienna will be made by July 16th. Vienna's city center has been on the so-called "Red List" of endangered World Heritage sites since 2017, and the committee will now discuss whether Vienna should remain on this list. The reason for the threat is the controversial construction projects, in particular the Heumarkt project and the planned high-rise buildings, which are seen as a threat to the exceptional universal value of Vienna. According to reporting by Kurier, a “draft decision” is recommended, which states that Vienna should remain on the “red list”.

But what does it mean to be on this list? Inscription on the “Danger List” is not a punitive measure, but rather is intended to draw attention to the threats and enable international protection. According to information from unesco.at, the threats to World Heritage sites include not only inadequate urban planning instruments, but also climate change, natural disasters and human interventions such as infrastructural changes and environmental pollution.

The problem for Vienna

Vienna currently has 12 World Heritage sites, including Schönbrunn Palace and Gardens, the Old Town of Salzburg and the Wachau. UNESCO counts a total of 1,223 sites in 168 countries worldwide, 56 of which are listed as endangered on the “Danger List”. In particular, conflicts and poor urban development pose a serious threat to these sites, as shown by information on the threat to world heritage sites.

The decision on whether Vienna's city center will remain or be removed from the red list is expected to be announced on Tuesday or Wednesday. The negotiations are a signal to the Austrian authorities to rethink their previous planning approaches and find solutions that are compatible with World Heritage. Today more than ever, a good hand in urban planning is needed to preserve the beauty and value of Vienna's historic sites.

The issue of threats to World Heritage sites also provokes a broader discussion about how urban developments and cultural identities can be brought together in the future. The experts recommend carrying out compatibility tests before making any changes in order to protect the exceptional universal value. Measures that could result in the loss of world cultural heritage must therefore be approached carefully.