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..