UNESCO sites protect wildlife, climate, livelihoods despite growing pressure, report finds

UNESCO-designated sites are helping protect biodiversity, support livelihoods, and regulate the climate despite growing environmental pressures, according to the first global assessment of the network released on Tuesday.

The report covers more than 2,260 UNESCO sites, including World Heritage Sites, biosphere reserves, and global geoparks, spanning around 13 million square kilometers (5 million square miles) worldwide.

Tales Carvalho Resende, co-author of the report, told reporters in Geneva that the sites support around 900 million people, roughly 10% of the global population.

“One of the key findings of this result is the fact that wildlife populations in these sites have remained stable on average, while globally they have decreased by 73% since 1970,” he said.

Resende said forests within UNESCO sites absorb around 15% of the net carbon captured by forests globally, highlighting their role in fighting climate change.

He also said at least one-quarter of UNESCO-designated sites overlap with Indigenous lands, rising to nearly half in parts of Latin America, underlining the "essential role" of sites as stewards of biodiversity, knowledge, and cultural heritage.

However, the report warned that more than one in four UNESCO sites could reach critical tipping points by 2050 if climate change continues unchecked.

These risks include forests becoming carbon sources, glaciers disappearing, and coral reefs collapsing.

“We now have a solid global evidence that investing in these sites delivers results,” Resende said.

“Investing in these sites is not just about protecting exceptional places. No, it is also investing in proven solutions that can help address climate change, biodiversity loss and sustainable development together.”