UNESCO inscribes East Rennell of Solomon Islands on list of world heritage in danger

The world heritage site of East Rennell has been inscribed on the list of world heritage in danger due to logging that is affecting the ecosystem of the Solomon Islands' world heritage site, according to a UNESCO press statement on Tuesday.

"The World Heritage Committee determined that logging is threatening the outstanding universal value of East Rennell, and asked the national authorities to provide an impact assessment study of the logging, although it is taking place outside the site 's core area," the statement said.

Forests cover most of the land area of the 37,000-hectare site, which was inscribed on the world heritage list in 1998, it said, adding that the site makes up the southern third of Rennell Island, the southernmost island in the Solomon Island group in the western Pacific.

It is the largest raised coral atoll in the world and its dense forest has a canopy averaging 20 meters in height, and the forest is an essential component of the atoll, which is considered a true natural laboratory for scientific study, it said.

The World Heritage Committee is holding its 37th session in Phnom Penh, which would last from last Sunday till June 27.

Besides debating about the sites in danger, the World Heritage Committee, comprised of members from 21 countries, would consider the inscription of 31 sites onto the world heritage list later this week, UNESCO spokesman Roni Amelan said on Sunday.