Mediterranean World Heritage Sites at Risk

UNESCO World Heritage sites (WHS) in the Mediterranean region are in danger due to climate change, a recent study found. The 2018 World Heritage list currently registers 1,092 landmarks. These sites are maintained and protected because of their historical, cultural, scientific, or other forms of value. Out of the 159 sites located in countries surrounding the Mediterranean Sea, researchers studied 49 landmarks. In the study, researchers used UNESCO’s WHS database and looked into the projected sea level until 2100 to rank the sites that would be most in peril. The study discovered that by 2100, the flood risk and coastal erosion risk in the Mediterranean region will increase by 50% and 13%, respectively, if climate change persists. As a result, 40 sites will be destroyed by flood, while 46 sites will be endangered by erosion. According to the study, the damage to WHS is central to four countries: Italy, Croatia, Greece, and Tunisia. Italy will suffer the most from climate change, with a projected loss of 15 sites. To address the impending effects of climate change, the researchers suggested moving the sites to different and safer locations. However, relocation is possible only for two sites: the Cathedral of St. James in Croatia and the Early Christian Monuments of Ravenna in Italy. Unlike these two, landmarks that cover large areas, like archaeological sites and cultural heritage sites, cannot be relocated. Furthermore, UNESCO officials argue that the researchers’ solution will lower the landmarks’ outstanding universal value, which is an important factor in selecting a World Heritage site.