46 CONTEXT 180 : JUNE 2024 become unbalanced regionally and thematically. Some 48 per cent of world heritage sites are in the European and North American regions, and, globally, some 90 per cent of all sites are categorised as ‘cultural’. Similar imbalances are present on most state party tentative lists. Unesco’s 2021 Analysis of the Global Strategy for a Representative, Balanced, and Credible World Heritage List⁴ seeks to influence the over-represented state parties to slow their rates of nomination, to consider an increase in nominations for natural and mixed sites, and to address other thematic gaps. The UK’s response to this has been to bring forward only one site for nomination every two years. The 2023 new UK tentative list also reflects to some degree a better balance of cultural and natural sites. The review The 2011 tentative list review assessed 38 applications and originally recommended 11 sites for inclusion. Over the next ten years, six sites were successively presented and inscribed as world heritage sites. In addition, the Flow Country natural site and the Moravian Church Settlement, Gracehill (part of a transnational site led by others), are both proceeding towards nomination in 2023. Seven sites from the 2011 list did not progress towards nomination for a variety of reasons, including being appraised as not being ready, lacking the viability for future management or not being able to demonstrate outstanding universal value. For the 2023 tentative list review, the DCMS set up an inter-agency steering group to learn The bottom-up approach encourages detailed assessments of sites put forward by local interests. The guidance warns of the possibility of disappointment and disaffection by potential bottom-up tentative list candidates and stakeholders not selected for the initial long list or final inclusion on the list. Managing these expectations is important, given the great effort and resource investment that some stakeholders will have made in promoting their potential world heritage sites. Clear, consistent and regular communication and updates are needed during the whole tentative list review process. Gaps and imbalances The number of sites globally on the world heritage list has expanded rapidly, from 84 in 1981 to 1,199 in 2023 with, in recent decades, a similar growth reflected on tentative lists. Since the initiation and nomination of a world heritage site is primarily driven by state parties, the list has The Flow Country site in the north of Scotland includes a large area of peatland that represents the world’s most complete and extensive example of an intact, natural blanket bog ecosystem (Photo: Sam Rose) 4 Analysis of the Global Strategy for a Representative, Balanced and Credible World Heritage List (1994-2020), independent report to Unesco World Heritage Centre, 2021 Sphagnum colours at Cnoc an Alaskie in the Flow Country (Photo: Steven Andrews)
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