Dozens of UNESCO sites could be destroyed by 2050 due to climate change: which sites are most at risk

Scientists have named UNESCO World Heritage sites that could be destroyed by 2050 due to climate change. Researchers from Climate X used climate models to predict how flooding, coastal erosion, landslides, wind hazards, storms and cyclones will affect sites around the world.

The top 20 sites that are most at risk include Kakadu National Park in Australia, the Swiss Alps, the Cistercian Abbey of Fontenay in France and the Konark Sun Temple in India. A total of 50 UNESCO monuments around the world could be destroyed, DailyMail writes.

"Our findings serve as a stark warning to governments, conservationists and the global community to prioritize the protection of our planet for the sake of preserving our ancient monuments and protecting life today and in the future," said Climate X CEO and co-founder Lukki Ahmed.

UNESCO's World Heritage List currently includes 1,223 sites that are considered so important to the future of our planet that they should be protected. In their new study, experts from Climate X wanted to understand which of these places might die due to climate change.

The team of scientists used the Climate X Spectra platform, which models how climate change will affect property, assets, and infrastructure under different scenarios. Algorithms within the platform quantify the risk of extreme weather to model the future likelihood of 16 different climate hazards - from extreme heat to tropical cyclones to flooding - in eight warming scenarios over the next 100 years.

The analysis has identified 50 key places at risk if global greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise at the current rate. Topping the list is Bali province's Cultural Landscape, which is vulnerable to flooding, heat and drought.

Next is Australia's Kakadu National Park, which is threatened by floods and wildfires. And China's Quanzhou (World Trade Center), which is vulnerable to drought.

Other key sites on the list include Australia's Sydney Opera House, the Olympic National Park in the United States, Switzerland's Jungfrau-Alech Alps and the Buddhist mountain monasteries of Sansa in Korea.

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