Syllabus:

GS-3: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment 

Context: The IUCN World Heritage Outlook 4 was released at the 2025 IUCN Congress in Abu Dhabi which assesses the condition and threats faced by natural World Heritage sites globally.

Key Findings

• Climate Change as the Primary Threat: 

• Climate change threatens 43% of natural World Heritage sites with high or very high risk.
• Causes include rising sea levels, more frequent storms, temperature rise, glacial retreat, droughts, wildfires. 

• Impact of Invasive Species and Diseases:  

• 30% of sites affected by invasive alien species causing habitat degradation. 
• Wildlife and plant diseases affect 9% of sites, up from 2% in 2020. 

• Declining Conservation Outlook: 

• Positive conservation outlook dropped from 62% in 2020 to 57% in 2025. 
• Only half of 271 assessed sites have effective protection and management.
• 15% of sites face serious financial shortfalls weakening conservation capacity.
• 49% of UNESCO Natural World Heritage Sites in Asia have management effectiveness rated as ‘some concern’. 

• Regional Situation: India: 

• Sundarbans National Park status downgraded to ‘Significant Concerns’ due to salinity, contamination, resource extraction, sea level rise affecting mangroves. 
• Manas National Park and Western Ghats remain in ‘Significant Concern’ category.
• Great Himalayan National Park, Kaziranga, Keoladeo, Nanda Devi, Valley of Flowers are ‘Good with Some Concerns’. 
• Khangchendzonga National Park remains ‘Good’ in conservation outlook.

• Indigenous Peoples’ Role: 

• Indigenous leadership and knowledge highlighted as key for biodiversity improvement and site resilience. 
• Examples include ranger groups and community-led conservation efforts. 

• Progress and Success: 

• Since 2020, 13 sites improved conservation outlook, including four in West and Central Africa. 
• Success attributed to better anti-poaching policies, community partnerships, and wildlife stabilization. 

Key Recommendations

• Increase investment in climate adaptation and mitigation for vulnerable ecosystems. 

• Strengthen governance and management capacity at site and regional levels. 

• Address financial shortfalls to sustain conservation efforts. 

• Promote Indigenous Peoples’ rights and incorporate their knowledge in conservation. 

• Enhance monitoring and predictive tools to tackle invasive species and pathogens.

• Need for the ‘One Health’ approach encompassing people, species and ecosystems.

About the Report 

• It is the most comprehensive assessment of all natural World Heritage sites globally, and for the first time reveals trends in the conservation prospects of these sites over a ten-year period.

• The earlier publications of the IUCN World Heritage Outlook include the first edition in 2014, followed by the second in 2017 and the third in 2020. 

• The report reviews major conservation challenges facing natural World Heritage sites and tracks changes over the past decade.

• It categorises sites by conservation outlook: good, good with some concerns, significant concern, and critical.

• It presents global findings on natural values, threats, and management effectiveness.

Sources:
Down to Earth
DD News
IUCN