The Royal Dutch/Shell group has undertaken not to explore for, or develop, oil and gas resources within any natural World Heritage site.

Shell said it recognised that such sites are places of outstanding universal value and its decision is one of four commitments that enhance the Group Biodiversity Standard, first published in 2001.

The Standard covers all of Shell’s businesses and builds on the group’s existing work with the conservation community and, especially, a partnership with IUCN, The World Conservation Union.

The second commitment is to implement a set of more stringent operating practices when working in an area of high biodiversity value and the third is to report publicly on its activities in IUCN Category I-IV protected areas. The company has worked with IUCN’s World Commission on Protected Areas and in partnership with the Smithsonian Institution in Gabon, with Flora and Fauna International in South Africa and the Caspian, with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation in the Gulf of Mexico and with ProNatura and Living Earth in Nigeria.

Shell’s fourth commitment is to continue to work with IUCN and other conservation partners to develop ways of strengthening the management of protected areas. Details: www.shell.com