50 Unesco World Heritage sites that could be wiped out by climate change

The Sydney Opera House is one of the 50 Unesco World Heritage sites facing high-risk due to climate change. Photo / 123rf
Unesco World Heritage sites are some of the most populated tourist spots in the world. From our very own Tongariro National Park, Te Wahipounamu, and the Subantarctic Islands to the world-famous ones like The Great Pyramids of Giza, The Colosseum, the Taj Mahal, and The Great Barrier Reef – the world is full of wonders waiting to be explored.
However, a team of researchers from climate risk intelligence company Climate X has revealed a troubling forecast that could see up to 50 Unesco World Heritage sites wiped out or destroyed due to climate change.
Read more: Unesco grants 42 new sites World Heritage status
Using their climate risk data tool, Spectra, the study modelled how climate change will impact these sites under various scenarios, including flooding, coastal erosion, landslides and severe storms.
The platform’s algorithms assessed the risks that properties, assets and infrastructure can face from 16 different extreme weather events, such as heatwaves, cyclones, and flooding, across eight different warming scenarios over a century.
Following their analysis, they outlined the sites that will be at greatest risk should global greenhouse gas emissions keep rising at their current level.
Climate X Reveals UNESCO Sites Vulnerable to Climate-Related Damage🔴🌍@ClimateXLtd’s latest data reveals that four UK @UNESCO sites, including The Forth Bridge and St Kilda, are among the most at-risk globally due to climate hazards like flooding and coastal erosion.Other… pic.twitter.com/PJXtFfWF3F
Lukky Ahmed, chief executive and co-founder of Climate X has shared this data in a bid to encourage governments, preservationists and communities to take action as early as possible to preserve the world heritage sites: “The potential impact of climate change on these sites is profound. But it’s not just our past heritage that’s at risk – it’s our present, too.”
“We need to prioritise safeguarding our planet to protect our ancient monuments and current infrastructure, ensuring the safety of both our heritage and our future,” Ahmed added.
Ahmed reminds world leaders to step up and protect the world’s greatest treasures from the gravest cause of extinction: climate change.
“While the loss of these cultural treasures – many of which have endured for millennia – would of course be devastating, it’s also vital to remember the real societal and economic impact of climate change is happening in the here and now,” the climate advocate noted.
Though it might not affect your travel goals right now, studies like this show how climate change is set to rob the future generation of the opportunity to see these wondrous sites and learn rich world history.
Indonesia’s historic irrigation network, the Subak System, tops the list with a high risk of surface flooding, extreme heat and drought.
Australia’s Kakadu National Park follows closely at second, which could be endangered by flooding and wildfires. The Sydney Opera House is included in the list too, as it faces coastal flood and storm surge risks.
1. The Cultural Landscape of the Bali Province: The Subak System, Indonesia
Surface flood, extreme heat days, and drought risks.
2. Kakadu National Park, Australia
Surface flood and wildfire risks.
3. Quanzhou: Emporium of the World in Song-Yuan, China
Drought risk.
4. Engelsberg Ironworks, Sweden
Surface flood and river flood risks.
5. Sinharaja Forest Reserve, Sri Lanka
Surface flood and extreme heat risks.
6. Decorated Cave of Pont d’Arc, known as Grotte Chauvet-Pont d’Arc, Ardèche, France
Surface flood and landslide risks.
7. West Lake Cultural Landscape of Hangzhou, China
Surface flood and drought risks.
8. Fujian Tulou, China
Surface flood and extreme heat days risks.
9. Ombilin Coal Mining Heritage of Sawahlunto, Indonesia
Surface flood, extreme heat days and drought risks.
10. Himeji-jo, Japan
Surface flood risk.
11. Swiss Alps Jungfrau-Aletsch, Switzerland
River flood risk.
12. Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex in Essen, Germany
River flood risk.
13. Rjukan-Notodden Industrial Heritage Site, Norway
Surface flood risk.
14. Khangchendzonga National Park, India
Surface flood risk.
15. Sun Temple, Konârak, India
Surface flood and drought risks.
16. Archaeological Ruins at Moenjodaro, Pakistan
River flood, and drought risks.
17. Cistercian Abbey of Fontenay, France
Danger surface flood risk.
18. Sites of Japan’s Meiji Industrial Revolution: Iron and Steel, Shipbuilding and Coal mining, Japan
Tropical cyclone and storm surge risks.
19. Keoladeo National Park, India
Surface flood and drought risks.
20. Srebarna Nature Reserve, Bulgaria
River flood risks.
21. Huanglong Scenic and Historic Interest Area, China
Surface flood and drought risks.
22. Historic Centres of Stralsund and Wismar, Germany
River flood, surface flood, and storm risks.
23. Sydney Opera House, Australia
Coastal flood and storm surge risks.
24. Studley Royal Park including the Ruins of Fountains Abbey, England
Storm risks.
25. Olympic National Park, US
River flood, surface flood, and landslide risks.
26. Mount Qingcheng and the Dujiangyan Irrigation System, China
River flood, and drought risks.
27. Danube Delta, Romania
River flood risk.
28. Komodo National Park, Indonesia
Surface flood, extreme heat days, and drought risks.
29. South China Karst, China
River flood, surface flood, and drought risks.
30. Tr’ondëk-Klondike, Canada.
River flood, and surface flood risks
31. Bryggen, Norway.
Coastal flood, and drought risks.
32. Provins, Town of Medieval Fairs, France
River flood risk.
33. Doñana National Park, Spain
River flood, surface flood, coastal flood, and drought risks
34. Red Bay Basque Whaling Station, Canada
Coastal flood risk.
35. Ancient Villages in Southern Anhui, China – Xidi and Hongcun
Surface flood risk.
36. Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty, South Korea
Surface flood risk.
37. Sundarbans National Park, India
Surface flood, and drought risks.
38. Ha Long Bay – Cat Ba Archipelago, Vietnam
Coastal floods, tropical cyclones, extreme heat days, droughts, storm surges and landslide risks.
39. Everglades National Park, US
Coastal floods, tropical cyclones, extreme heat days, droughts, and storm-surge risks.
40. West Norwegian Fjords, Norway – Geirangerfjord and Nærøyfjord
Coastal flood risk.
41. Archaeological ruins of Liangzhu City, China
River flood and drought risks.
42. Yin Xu, China
River floods, surface floods, and drought risks.
43. Vizcaya Bridge, Spain
Coastal flood risk.
44. New Lanark, Scotland
Landslide risk.
45. St Kilda, Scotland
Coastal flood risk.
46. Jongmyo Shrine, South Korea
Surface floods and drought risks.
47. Churches and Convents of Goa, India
Surface floods and drought risks
48. The Forth Bridge, Scotland
Coastal flood risk.
49. Zuojiang Huashan Rock Art Cultural Landscape, China
River floods, surface floods, and drought risks.
50. Sansa, Buddhist Mountain Monasteries, South Korea
River floods, and surface flood risks.
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