The UN's key environment body, the World Heritage Committee, has called for a drastic rethink of the plan after identifying significant shortcomings.

''A number of changes that are being proposed in the draft management plan would appear to directly threaten the protection of the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property,'' the committee said in a decision handed down overnight.

Among its key concerns was a proposal to allow logging and mining in about 200,000 hectares of the TWWHA.

''It needs to be recalled that the World Heritage Committee has repeatedly reiterated its position that mineral exploration and exploitation is incompatible with World Heritage status,'' the committee said.

Also among the problems flagged was a push to rename the existing Wilderness Zone a ''Remote Recreation Zone''.

''A remote recreation zone does not appear to adequately encompass the wilderness character and traditional occupation of the property,'' UNESCO said.

The committee insisted the area's cultural attributes had not been clearly defined in the government's draft plan.

''In the absence of such identification, and in the light of the proposed fundamental changes of direction, the management plan cannot be seen a document that sustains the OUV of the property,'' it said.

The World Heritage Committee urged the Tasmanian government to consult further with the Aboriginal community to understand in far greater detail the cultural value of the property.

The Wilderness Society's Vica Bayley said logging and mining had no place in the TWWHA.

''Government must heed the advice of the international community on management expectations, or risk jeopardising Tasmania's brand,'' he said.

Environment Minister Matthew Groom said his government fully acknowledged the committee's concerns, and did not want to see the area's values compromised.

''We share a commitment to the protection of those values and we want to continue to work with the World Heritage Committee to see a responsible outcome achieved," Mr Groom said. 

The UN has asked the Tasmanian government to submit an updated report by February next year detailing progress made on its requests.