Work has started on the 4th edition of the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN)’s World Heritage Outlook, the most comprehensive assessment of World Heritage sites inscribed for their unique natural values. IUCN invites interested contributors with expert knowledge of World Heritage sites to register here by 30 September 2024. World Heritage Outlook 3 (2020) – made possible by hundreds of contributors – concluded that conservation prospects remain positive for almost two-thirds of assessed sites and identified climate change as the most prevalent threat.
In 2014 IUCN launched the first IUCN World Heritage Outlook – a ground-breaking global assessment of World Heritage sites inscribed for their unique natural values and their prospects for maintaining these values over time. After successful updates in 2017 and 2020, efforts are now underway to complete a new cycle of conservation outlook assessments. These will be compiled in the fourth edition of the IUCN World Heritage Outlook report, to be released in 2025 at the IUCN World Conservation Congress. The overall objective is to identify and anticipate conservation challenges while also recognizing successes. World Heritage Outlook 4 represents a chance to gauge the efforts to protect the world’s most important protected areas over the past 10 years and reflect on the role of World Heritage in achieving global biodiversity and climate goals by 2030.
Recognised as the world’s most unique protected areas, over 270 World Heritage sites are inscribed for their natural values. Considering their significant international recognition and their Outstanding Universal Value, World Heritage sites should serve as models of conservation and have a good outlook in the face of global change. Their state of conservation is an indication for the success of conservation worldwide. World Heritage Outlook 4 will systematically collect inputs from a wide range of knowledge holders, including State Parties, management authorities, site managers, researchers, community groups, civil society, IUCN Members, and IUCN Expert Commissions to provide an independent global assessment of the state of conservation of all World Heritage sites inscribed for their natural values.
IUCN’s World Heritage Outlook consists of “Conservation Outlook Assessments” (available via the online platform here), which are in-depth, independent assessments for each World Heritage site, based on the best available data from a wide range of sources. These explore how sites have evolved over time, tracking trends, analysing drivers of change and identifying issues surrounding their protection and management. The global report draws on these assessments to compile analyses of key trends and issues facing natural World Heritage.
The method for individual site assessments was developed based on IUCN standards, best practice guidelines and assessment frameworks. As the core method remains unchanged, a comparison across datasets is possible. Minor updates have focussed on stronger alignment with the IUCN Green List Standard, integrating an Invasive Alien Species database and more thoroughly recognising cultural values and overlapping designations. This ensures a more integrated and inclusive approach.
Over the coming months, hundreds of World Heritage experts will take part in the consultation and review process. This will ensure that conservation outlook assessments are as accurate as possible and identify the most pressing issues facing World Heritage sites. Experts and knowledge holders interested in taking part in the 2025 update of the IUCN World Heritage Outlook can register here by 30 September 2024.
This news was adapted from a press release first published by the IUCN. You can find the original press release on the IUCN website.
Cover image by Eric Hooper.