The Economic Value of Virunga National Park - World Wildlife Fund

● Publicly demonstrate its commitment to adhering to Organisationfor Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Guidelines forMultinational Enterprises.WWF urges Soco investors to:● Leverage their rights and obligations as investors to require Socoto commit publicly to withdrawing from Virunga and stopping allexploration activities in and around the park;● Caution Soco about investment risks of stranded assets, reputational riskand operational risk;● Encourage Soco to state publicly its commitment to never enter a WorldHeritage Site.WWF calls on the DRC government to:● Uphold and respect DRC law and regulations that prohibitenvironmentally harmful activities such as oil exploration andexploitation in protected areas including Virunga, and close existingloopholes in the draft hydrocarbon and conservation laws that allow forthe exploration and exploitation of natural resources in national parksand World Heritage Sites;● Promote tourism by addressing the systemic failure that has allowedall five DRC World Heritage Sites, including Virunga, to remain onthe United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization(UNESCO) “in Danger” list for more than a decade;● Affirm Article 53 of the DRC national constitution that states: “Allpersons have the right to a healthy environment that is favourable totheir development. They have the duty to defend it. The state ensuresthe protection of the environment and the health of the population”.WWF CALLS ON SOCO TOCOMMIT PUBLICLY TORESPECTING ALL WORLDHERITAGE SITESWWF urges all conservation, human rights and development NGOs andreligious leaders to continue to improve our coordination to ensure the peopleof the DRC are accorded their rights to a safe, healthy, informed path tosustainable development.DRAW THE LINE