Global Report Reveals Climate Risks to UNESCO-designed Sites
09 May 2026
A UNESCO report released on 21 April 2026, People and Nature in UNESCO-designated Sites: Global and Local Contributions, delivers the first global assessment of over 2,260 World Heritage sites, Biosphere Reserves and Global Geoparks. The study finds that more than one in four sites could reach critical ecological tipping points by 2050 if pressures intensify, while also showing that monitored wildlife populations within these sites have remained stable on average, contrasting sharply with a 73% global decline since 1970.
The International Centre on Space Technologies for Natural and Cultural Heritage (HIST) under the auspices of UNESCO, hosted by the Aerospace Information Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (AIRCAS), played a key technical role as a recognized technical contributor to the report. HIST researchers carried out two core contributions: the first global assessment of future extreme climate event exposure across UNESCO-designated sites under different socioeconomic and climate scenarios, and a comprehensive evaluation of biodiversity intactness within the network.
"This is the first time that all UNESCO-designated sites have been analyzed together as an interconnected system," said a HIST lead scientist. Using satellite-based monitoring and spatial modelling, HIST's work helped reveal that over 60% of all globally mapped species are found in these sites, which cover more than 13 million km² and support some 900 million people, including many Indigenous Peoples and local communities.
The report warns that every 1°C of warming avoided could halve the number of sites facing major disruption by 2100. HIST's projections highlight escalating risks from extreme heat, drought and flooding, while also identifying restoration and integrated management as critical pathways for action.
HIST is the first UNESCO Category 2 centre dedicated to using space technologies to help UNESCO and its Member States monitor and protect World Heritage, Global Geoparks and Biosphere Reserves. In April 2025, following an independent evaluation for its contributions to UNESCO, CAS, on behalf of the Chinese Government, signed the Phase III agreement for HIST with UNESCO and HIST. This new phase will deepen science-based monitoring and assessment to support heritage conservation and sustainable development worldwide.
Research News
Global Report Reveals Climate Risks to UNESCO-designed Sites
A UNESCO report released on 21 April 2026, People and Nature in UNESCO-designated Sites: Global and Local Contributions, delivers the first global assessment of over 2,260 World Heritage sites, Biosphere Reserves and Global Geoparks. The study finds that more than one in four sites could reach critical ecological tipping points by 2050 if pressures intensify, while also showing that monitored wildlife populations within these sites have remained stable on average, contrasting sharply with a 73% global decline since 1970.
The International Centre on Space Technologies for Natural and Cultural Heritage (HIST) under the auspices of UNESCO, hosted by the Aerospace Information Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (AIRCAS), played a key technical role as a recognized technical contributor to the report. HIST researchers carried out two core contributions: the first global assessment of future extreme climate event exposure across UNESCO-designated sites under different socioeconomic and climate scenarios, and a comprehensive evaluation of biodiversity intactness within the network.
"This is the first time that all UNESCO-designated sites have been analyzed together as an interconnected system," said a HIST lead scientist. Using satellite-based monitoring and spatial modelling, HIST's work helped reveal that over 60% of all globally mapped species are found in these sites, which cover more than 13 million km² and support some 900 million people, including many Indigenous Peoples and local communities.
The report warns that every 1°C of warming avoided could halve the number of sites facing major disruption by 2100. HIST's projections highlight escalating risks from extreme heat, drought and flooding, while also identifying restoration and integrated management as critical pathways for action.
HIST is the first UNESCO Category 2 centre dedicated to using space technologies to help UNESCO and its Member States monitor and protect World Heritage, Global Geoparks and Biosphere Reserves. In April 2025, following an independent evaluation for its contributions to UNESCO, CAS, on behalf of the Chinese Government, signed the Phase III agreement for HIST with UNESCO and HIST. This new phase will deepen science-based monitoring and assessment to support heritage conservation and sustainable development worldwide.
Cover of the UNESCO report. (credit：UNESCO）