Four UK UNESCO Heritage Sites ‘most at risk’ from climate change

A new analysis has identified the most climate-vulnerable sites across the world, with a number located in Britain. 

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The UK is home to 35 UNESCO Heritage Sites, with four now considered to be directly threatened by the environmental emergency. These are The Forth Bridge, St Kilda, New Lanark, and Studley Royal Park. 

Climate X modelled how changing climate could effect 500 UNESCO Heritage Sites globally. This took into account hazards such as flooding, coastal erosion, high winds, storms, cyclones, and landslides. 

The Forth Bridge, completed in the Victorian era, and the remote archipelago of St Kilda were the most susceptible to coastal flooding. 18th Century New Lanark is at risk from landslides, while severe storms are likely to damage the landscaped water gardens and 12th Century ruins at Yorkshire’s Studley Royal Park. Collectively, these attractions lure more than 750,000 visitors each year. 

Outside the UK, Australia’s Sydney Opera House, the Olympic National Park in the US, the Swiss Alps Jungfrau-Aletsch, and Sansa Buddhist Mountain Monasteries in Korea are also considered to be highly vulnerable to climate change. 

‘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,’ said Lukky Ahmed, CEO and co-founder of Climate X. ‘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. Our findings serve as a stark warning for governments, preservationists, and the global community to prioritise the safeguarding of our planet – to preserve our ancient monuments and our current assets and infrastructure- and to protect life today and into the future.’

50 most at-risk Unesco World Heritage Sites globally

1. The Cultural Landscape of the Bali Province: The Subak System, Indonesia – surface flood, extreme heat days & drought risks
2. Kakadu National Park, Australia – surface flood & wildfire risks
3. Quanzhou: Emporium of the World in Song-Yuan, China – drought risk
4. Engelsberg Ironworks, Sweden – surface flood & river flood risks
5. Sinharaja Forest Reserve, Sri Lanka – surface flood & extreme heat risks
6. Decorated Cave of Pont d’Arc, known as Grotte Chauvet-Pont d’Arc, Ardèche, France – surface flood & landslide risks
7. West Lake Cultural Landscape of Hangzhou, China – surface flood & drought risks
8. Fujian Tulou, China – surface flood & extreme heat days risks
9. Ombilin Coal Mining Heritage of Sawahlunto, Indonesia – surface flood, extreme heat days & 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 & drought risks
16. Archaeological Ruins at Moenjodaro, Pakistan – river flood & drought risks
17. Cistercian Abbey of Fontenay, France – surface flood risk
18. Sites of Japan’s Meiji Industrial Revolution: Iron and Steel, Shipbuilding and Coal Mining, Japan – tropical cyclone & storm surge risks
19. Keoladeo National Park, India – surface flood & drought risks
20. Srebarna Nature Reserve, Bulgaria – river flood risks
21. Huanglong Scenic and Historic Interest Area, China – surface flood & drought risks
22. Historic Centres of Stralsund and Wismar, Germany – river flood, surface flood & storm risks
23. Sydney Opera House, Australia – coastal flood & storm surge risks
24. Studley Royal Park including the Ruins of Fountains Abbey, England – storm risks
25. Olympic National Park, USA – river flood, surface flood & landslide risks
26. Mount Qingcheng and the Dujiangyan Irrigation System, China – river flood & drought risks
27. Danube Delta, Romania – river flood risk
28. Komodo National Park, Indonesia – surface flood, extreme heat days & drought risks
29. South China Karst, China – river flood, surface flood & drought risks
30. Tr’ondëk-Klondike, Canada – river flood & surface flood risks
31. Bryggen, Norway – coastal flood & drought risks
32. Provins, Town of Medieval Fairs, France – river flood risk
33. Doñana National Park, Spain – river flood, surface flood, coastal flood & 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 & drought risks
38. Ha Long Bay – Cat Ba Archipelago, Vietnam – coastal flood, tropical cyclone, extreme heat days, drought, storm surge & landslide risks
39. Everglades National Park, USA – coastal flood, tropical cyclone, extreme heat days, drought & storm surge risks
40. West Norwegian Fjords, Norway – Geirangerfjord and Nærøyfjord – coastal flood risk
41. Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu City, China – river flood & drought risks
42. Yin Xu, China – river flood, surface flood & 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 flood & drought risks
47. Churches and Convents of Goa, India – surface flood & drought risks
48. The Forth Bridge, Scotland – coastal flood risk
49. Zuojiang Huashan Rock Art Cultural Landscape, China – river flood, surface flood & drought risks
50. Sansa, Buddhist Mountain Monasteries, South Korea – river flood & surface flood risks

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Image: Otter