ISLAMABAD: Nearly half of the world’s natural and cultural World Heritage sites are now at high or very high risk due to climate change, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)’s new World Heritage Outlook 4 report. The study evaluates 271 UNESCO-designated sites and finds that 117 — or about 43% — face severe climate threats, up sharply from 33% in 2020 and 27% in 2017.
The IUCN warns that climate change has become not only the greatest threat to World Heritage sites but also the fastest-rising one. From 2020 to 2025 alone, the number of severely threatened sites increased by 31.
Tim Badman, director of the IUCN’s World Heritage and Culture Programme, told Anadolu that this escalation shows an “urgent need for stronger global climate action.” He cited seasonal flooding, marine heatwaves, and glacier melt as key drivers of environmental transformation, affecting hydrology, coral reefs, and coastal ecosystems.
Rapid Biodiversity Loss and Regional Risks
The report reveals that biodiversity-rich areas are suffering the greatest losses, with the share of sites in “good or low-risk” condition falling from 71% in 2014 to just 52% in 2025 — the lowest level ever recorded. The overall conservation outlook has also worsened, dropping from 63% in 2014 to 57% today.
Invasive species and emerging diseases have become the second-most serious global threat, with the number of sites reporting high risk from pathogens rising from two in 2020 to 19 in 2025. Human pressures — including tourism, urban development, and industrial expansion — are also intensifying.
Regional Variations and the Urgent Need for Action
The report also highlights that 42% of World Heritage sites have already implemented effective or highly effective climate adaptation measures. However, Badman stressed that far greater local and international efforts are required to strengthen both resilience and mitigation.
He noted that the latest IUCN assessments — covering 2014, 2017, 2020, and 2025 — demonstrate that climate-related impacts are becoming increasingly widespread and severe.
While climate change is the most dominant global threat, its impacts vary by region. In Africa, the main pressures include poaching, deforestation, and mining, while in South America, tourism-related activities have overtaken livestock farming as the leading cause of environmental degradation.
Badman said the findings serve as a wake-up call for policymakers. “Countries must strengthen their emission reduction commitments under the Paris Agreement and set ambitious targets to keep global warming within 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels,” he urged.
He also emphasized UNESCO’s Climate Action Policy for World Heritage as a crucial framework guiding both global and site-level strategies. The policy identifies adaptation, mitigation, innovation, and research as core pillars for sustainable heritage conservation.
Success Stories
According to IUCN data, Türkiye’s Pamukkale is now rated “good with some concerns,” while Göreme National Park in Cappadocia has been downgraded to “significant concern” due to high visitor numbers and vehicle traffic.
Despite these alarming trends, IUCN noted several local success stories, including community-led conservation in Mexico’s Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve and the Philippines’ Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park.
Badman urged countries to strengthen commitments under the Paris Agreement and use UNESCO’s Climate Action Policy for World Heritage as a framework for adaptation and mitigation. Losing these sites, he warned, would mean losing “a vital part of our planet’s natural and cultural legacy.”
