The UNESCO Thematic Indicators for Culture in the 2030 Agenda (Culture|2030 Indicators) is a framework of thematic indicators whose purpose is to measure and monitor the progress of culture’s enabling contribution ...
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Climate Change and World Heritage
World Heritage properties are affected by the impacts of climate change at present and in the future. Their continued preservation requires understanding these impacts to their Outstanding Universal Value and ...
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The World Heritage Convention is one of the most successful international instruments to protect the most extraordinary natural places on the planet, characterized by their natural beauty or outstanding ...
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Balancing development and conservation in Grand-Bassam (Côte d’Ivoire)
The inscription of the Historic Town of Grand-Bassam on the World Heritage List has provided new opportunities to promote sustainable development in the city. From the creation of a local World Heritage management ...
Building climate change resilience and adaptation of the Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System (Belize)
The Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System is facing multiple impacts of climate change such as coral bleaching, more severe storms, and rising sea levels. The Resilient Reefs Initiative is focused on building Belize’s ...
Case Studies on the Conservation and Management of Historic Cities
Since 2008, the World Heritage Centre, within the framework of the France-UNESCO Cooperation Agreement, supported and participated in the initiative “Developing Historic Cities: Keys for Understanding and Taking ...
Through a series of strategic actions, Urbino has sought to improve its environmental sustainability and promote climate change mitigation and adaptation. An update of the management plan is currently under way in ...
The Million wells for Bengaluru campaign is an initiative to build one million shallow wells using traditional well-digging techniques. The initiative for the revival of traditional water systems integrates ...
Integrating cultural and natural heritage values in urban development processes in Lyon (France)
The 2019 urban plan aims to protect cultural and natural heritage values and their attributes through specific planning tools, such as green and blue infrastructure planning and the development of heritage ...
Pedestrianisation of historic streets and public spaces in Graz (Austria)
As part of a wider effort to create a pedestrian-only zone in the historic centre, the city of Graz carried an ambitious programme to re-design its historic streets and public spaces through high-quality design ...
Preventing climate-related impacts in the Chan Chan Archaeological Zone (Peru)
After Chan Chan was placed on the List of World Heritage in Danger, a disaster risk reduction plan was developed and integrated with heritage management mechanisms. The plan provided valuable strategies for ...
Promoting climate change adaptation and mitigation in Lamu Old Town (Kenya)
Lamu Old Town faces multiple threats from climate change, energy needs and rapid social and economic transformation. The Lamu Old town management plan and the Lamu Municipality Waste Management Policy focused on ...
Promoting traditional environmental knowledge in the M’Zab Valley (Algeria)
The traditional settlements of the M’Zab valley were adapted to their environment and climate. Floodable areas were occupied only by temporary structures and not by dwellings. Water infrastructure was a core ...
Reintroduction of hydropower in the mills district of the Town of Bamberg (Germany)
The installation of a new water turbine at the site of the former water mills in the Town of Bamberg follows traditional water practices while respecting the Outstanding Universal Value of the property. The new ...
Shaping the future of climate adaptation through Resilient Reefs
Climate change is today the biggest threat to coral reefs. Under a business-as-usual scenario, nearly 90% of the 29 World Heritage-listed coral reefs are expected to severely bleach twice-per-decade by 2040.
Strengthening residents’ connection with their gardening heritage in Bamberg (Germany)
In the city of Bamberg, traditional gardening practices are part of the city’s strategy to promote urban sustainability. The COVID-19 pandemic helped to strengthen the local community’s connection with its gardening ...
Strengthening World Heritage properties’ resilience to face climate change
Climate change is becoming one of the most significant threats to World Heritage properties, jeopardizing the disappearance of their Outstanding Universal Value, their integrity and the potential for economic and ...
Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan of the historic city of L’Aquila (Italy)
The long-term plan aims to promote sustainable urban transportation, reduce emissions and pollution, and enhance liveability in the historic city by enhancing cycling networks and infrastructure, improving existing ...
Taking nature into account in the World Heritage Management plan of Strasbourg (France)
An update of the World Heritage management plan and urban planning tools seeks to integrate cultural and natural heritage values and their attributes in order to improve the city’s liveability and micro-climate.
UNESCO World Heritage Forests © David Geldhof / Yosemite National Park Forests are some of the most biodiversity-rich habitats on Earth. They play a crucial role in climate regulation by ...
Natural World Heritage sites are the planet’s most precious gifts to humanity. But our work across these 257 sites is not simply about protecting and preserving some of the world’s most beautiful locations, ...
The objective of the Guidance is to provide easy-to-understand and user-friendly information on wind energy projects and World Heritage protection and management, and to highlight processes and tools for overcoming ...
World Heritage and Extractive Industries
Over the years, and based on the many cases which have arisen at natural World Heritage properties, the World Heritage Committee has expressed many times its clear position that that mineral, oil and gas exploration ...
World Heritage and Tourism in a Changing Climate
This report provides an overview of the increasing vulnerability of World Heritage sites to climate change impacts and the potential implications for and of global tourism. It also examines the close relationship ...
World Heritage and wind energy planning
Protecting visual integrity in the context of the energy transition. Inspiring practices from four European countries. This study presents examples from four European countries and shows how they deal with wind ...
Marine World Heritage in a Changing Climate © Climate change has become the biggest threat to the conservation of the 51 marine sites on UNESCO’s World Heritage List. Some 70% of these sites are ...
UNESCO Director General’s Statement on Climate Change and World Heritage
Message given by the Director General delivered at the Press Conference of the 12th Conference of Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, Nairobi, Kenya (6-17 November 2006) One of the major ...
Case Studies on Climate Change and World Heritage
Originally published in 2007 in English, this publication has now been reprinted for the third time in English and translated into French, Spanish and Arabic. It presents twenty-six case studies from selected ...
Development of Policy Document on Impacts of Climate Change and World Heritage (2006)
At its 30th session in July 2006, the World Heritage Committee endorsed the report on "Predicting and managing the impacts of Climate Change on World Heritage" and the "Strategy to assist States Parties to implement ...
By its decision 30 COM 7.1 the World Heritage Committee endorsed the "Strategy to assist States Parties to implement management responses" and took note of the report on "Predicting and managing the impacts of ...
World Heritage Reports n°22 - Climate Change and World Heritage
In May 2007 the Report on predicting and managing the impacts of climate change on World Heritage and Strategy to assist States Parties to implement appropriate management responses were published as "World Heritage ...
World Heritage Review Focuses on Climate Change
The 42nd issue of the World Heritage Review, published in June 2006, focuses on the issues of climate change and World Heritage Sites. A background on the issues is given in a feature article which discusses coral ...