Nearly Half of UNESCO World Heritage Sites at High Climate Risk, IUCN Warns

Nearly Half of UNESCO World Heritage Sites at High Climate Risk, IUCN Warns
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A new report from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) indicates that about 117 out of 271 UNESCO-designated natural and cultural World Heritage sites — approximately 43 % — now face “high” or “very high” levels of threat from climate change, according to Anadolu Agency.

This marks a sharp increase since 2020, when the figure stood at 33%, and 2017, when it was just 27%. Key drivers of this trend include rising sea levels, glacial melt altering water flows, marine heatwaves causing coral bleaching, and changes in rainfall patterns leading to desertification and flooding.

Though 42 % of sites are reportedly already implementing effective or highly effective climate adaptation measures, the IUCN stresses that much greater action is required.

The findings underline that heritage sites aren’t just cultural treasures—they play critical roles in carbon storage, water regulation, and disaster prevention. Losses would have profound implications for both nature and human societies.

The IUCN calls for urgent and coordinated global climate action, including stronger emissions reductions and more robust heritage-site policy frameworks under the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Climate Action Policy for World Heritage.