These risks, driven by climate change, endanger cultural heritage, biodiversity, and local livelihoods—calling for urgent global and local action.
A new global analysis has revealed that the world’s most treasured cultural and natural landmarks—from the Taj Mahal to Victoria Falls and Mount Everest—are increasingly threatened by severe water-related risks. According to the latest report from the World Resources Institute (WRI) in collaboration with UNESCO, 73% of all non-marine UNESCO World Heritage Sites now face at least one form of severe water risk, such as drought, flooding, or water pollution, said WRI.
Even more alarming, 21% of the sites experience a dual water crisis—facing both too much and too little water at different times, creating whiplash scenarios that threaten ecosystems, infrastructure, heritage conservation, and local livelihoods.
Icons under threat: From Iraq to peru
WRI’s Aqueduct platform and UNESCO screened 1,172 World Heritage Sites, assessing the severity of water stress, drought, riverine flooding, and coastal flooding. The findings paint a troubling picture.
In Iraq, the Ahwar of Southern Iraq, a marshland cradle of civilization and biodiversity, is suffering from extremely high water stress. Over 80% of renewable water is withdrawn for human use, endangering ancient Sumerian heritage and the way of life of the Marsh Arabs. Years of upstream damming, irrigation, and instability have decimated water flows. In 2023 alone, 68,000 Iraqis were displaced by drought.
In Southern Africa, Mosi-oa-Tunya/Victoria Falls—a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the world’s most iconic waterfalls—is experiencing increasingly frequent droughts. Once a powerful economic engine for tourism and hydropower, the Falls now occasionally slow to a trickle. In drought years like 2019 and 2024, southern Africa faced severe blackouts, food shortages, and wildlife-human conflict as animals moved into villages in search of water.
Meanwhile in Peru, Chan Chan, the pre-Incan adobe metropolis of the Chimú Empire, is under threat from intensified El Niño-triggered floods. Built with ancient irrigation ingenuity, Chan Chan is now vulnerable to mudslides (huaycos) that sweep away structures and infrastructure. By 2050, the number of flood-affected people in Peru’s La Libertad region could double, threatening both the site and surrounding communities.
Rising Seas and vanishing flyways
In China, the Yellow Sea and Bohai Gulf Migratory Bird Sanctuaries, key stopover habitats for 50 million migratory birds, are being squeezed by coastal flooding and land reclamation. Sea levels have risen over 6 inches since 1980, and high tides now regularly flood the coast. Conservationists warn of potential 72% population declines for species like the bar-tailed godwit—a bird known for its epic 8,000-mile nonstop migration—if critical wetland habitats are lost.
Global trends and regional crises
While water-related threats are global, the impacts are more concentrated in certain regions. The Middle East, South Asia, and northern China are expected to experience the most acute water stress by 2050, driven by a mix of climate change, over-extraction, and river regulation.
Already, 40% of World Heritage Sites face high or extremely high water stress. That number is projected to increase to 44% by 2050, underscoring the urgent need for preemptive action.
Solutions are within reach
Despite the grim findings, experts at WRI and UNESCO stress that effective solutions exist:
Local action: Restoration of wetlands, reforestation, and nature-based solutions can buffer sites against floods and droughts.
National policies: Governments can integrate cultural heritage into national water and climate strategies and prevent unsustainable development near vulnerable sites.
International cooperation: Countries sharing water basins must pursue equitable transboundary agreements, treating water as a global common good.
A 2018 ban on land reclamation in China’s Bohai Bay has shown promise. In one restored wetland, bird visitation grew from 20,000 to 100,000 in just four years, offering hope that coordinated policy and restoration efforts can deliver fast, visible benefits.
The road ahead
From Angkor to Yellowstone, from Chichén Itzá to the Serengeti, water stress is reshaping the future of our global heritage. As climate impacts accelerate, these sites—each a testimony to human history, biodiversity, and cultural identity—face unprecedented threats.
“Every World Heritage Site tells a story, but now many are writing a new chapter—one shaped by water,” said Samantha Kuzma, co-author of the WRI-UNESCO report.
The authors urge immediate action before more damage is done. While technical fixes and funding are vital, the deeper challenge lies in rethinking water governance to ensure that both heritage and humanity endure in the face of rising global risks.
