National
Parks, Ancient Artefacts, Monuments and Barrier
Reefs at Risk from Global Climate Change
Nairobi, 7 November 2006 --
Cultural and nature-based heritage sites-- from
Charles Darwin’s favourite barrier reef in Belize
and South Africa’s famous West Coast National
Park to 600 year-old Thai ruins and archaeological
sites in Scotland-- are increasingly threatened
by climate change.
Some of these priceless treasures
are at risk as a result of impacts like rising
sea levels, flooding and storms. Others, including
mosques, cathedrals, monuments, and artefacts
at ancient sites are threatened by changes in
historic and local climatic conditions.
These in turn may lead to subtle
but damaging shifts in moisture levels affecting
structures directly, or the chemistry and stability
of soils in which they are found.
These are among the findings
from a new report, The Atlas of Climate Change:
Mapping the World’s Greatest Challenge compiled
by researchers with the Stockholm Environment
Institute with assistance from the United Nations
Environment Programme (UNEP).
The findings, unveiled today
at the 12th Conference of the Parties to the UN
Framework Convention on Climate Change and the
2nd Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol
taking place in Nairobi, Kenya, are based on a
welter of new studies by researchers across the
globe.
These include members of the
World Heritage Committee linked with the United
Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization’s
(UNESCO) World Heritage Centre.
Achim Steiner, UN Under-Secretary-General
and UNEP Executive Director, said: “Adaptation
to climate change should and must include natural
and culturally important sites. New research by
UNEP and partners shows that coral reefs in the
Indian Ocean, damaged by bleaching events in the
late 11000s, are recovering better in Marine Protected
Areas whereas those exposed to impacts from costal
developments and pollution are faring far worse”.
“So we must act now to build
resilience, so that important ecosystems, like
coral reefs, can survive and recover better in
the face of the climate change that is already
underway. We must also use our intelligence and
scientific know-how to assist managers of culturally
important sites like buildings and archaeological
finds. Losses here as a result of climate change
may impact on the livelihoods of local people
and, especially in developing countries, add to
poverty which is among the most toxic pollutants
on the planet,” he added.
Mr. Koichiro Matsuura, the Director-General
of UNESCO, the organization that hosts the World
Heritage Centre, said: "Climate changes are
impacting on all aspects of the human and natural
systems, including both cultural and natural World
Heritage properties. Protecting and ensuring the
sustainable management of these sites has therefore
become an intergovernmental priority of the highest
order."
“Many marine World Heritage
sites are tropical coral reefs whose exposure
to bleaching events – due to increased ocean temperature
and increasing acidification – possibly leading
to mass extinction of coral reefs. The increase
of atmospheric temperature is also leading to
the melting of glaciers worldwide. Terrestrial
biodiversity may also be affected by species shifting
ranges, changes in the timing of biological cycles,
migration of pests and invasive species, among
other phenomena," he said.
Tom Downing, a Director with
the Stockholm Environment Institute whose report
has been co-authored with Kirstin Dow of the University
of South Carolina, said: “Our report documents
in simple and easy to digest graphs and maps the
challenges and opportunities presented by climate
change across a wide range of issues and impacts”.
“In highlighting today one aspect
of the report--the threats to cherished and widely
valued cultural and natural heritage sites—we
are underlining how all encompassing the threats
are and how all embracing and inclusive must be
the global response to managing the world’s greatest
challenge,” he added.
Some of the Cultural Sites Highlighted
in the Atlas of Climate Change
Czech Republic
Flooding across Europe in 2002 damaged concert
halls, theatres, museums and libraries. An estimated
half a million books and archival documents were
damaged. Climate change may bring more flooding
and further losses. The Czech Republic is highlighted
as one vulnerable nation among several others.
Egypt
The monuments of Alexandria including the 15-century
Qait Bey Citadel are threatened by coastal erosion
and the inundation of the Nile delta region linked
with climate change.
Thailand
In north eastern Thailand, floods have damaged
the 600 year-old ruins of Sukothai and the ruins
of Ayutthaya, which served as the capital from
the 14th to the 18th centuries.
South Africa
The oldest human footprints, estimated to have
been made 117,000 years ago, were found near the
Langebaan Lagoon in South Africa’s West Coast
National Park. These have been removed to avoid
vandalism, but experts think other artefacts remain
to be discovered and are at risk from sea-level
rise.
Arctic and Small Islands
Whole cultures are at risk including the indigenous
peoples of the Arctic who rely on sea ice for
traditional hunting and fishing, and low-lying
small islands like Tuvalu where plans have been
made for evacuation in the face of rising sea
levels.
Scotland, UK
Some 12,000 archaeological sites are thought to
be vulnerable to erosion and sea level rise including
medieval salt workings in Brora, Sutherland, an
Iron Age site at Sandwich Bay, Unst and a Viking
site at Baileshire, north Uist.
Belize
The Belize barrier reef, described in 1842 by
Charles Darwin as “the most remarkable reef in
the West Indies” has already suffered bleaching
due to higher surface sea temperatures and, like
many reefs around the world, is likely to suffer
further as result of rising temperatures.
Boston, United States
A combination of sea level rise and storm surges
could increase the height of floods on the Charles
River and inundate famous historical sites.
Some of the underlining reports upon which today’s
publication is based come from a meeting held
in Vilnius, Lithuania, and later updated by a
Group of Experts meeting held at UNESCO headquarters
in Paris in March.
This more exhaustive report includes additional
sites pin-pointed as being at risk from climate
change, as well as recommendations from the managers
of such sites on how to carry out vulnerability
impact studies and prepare plans to adapt sites
to climate-related impacts.
Other sites include
Donana National Park and World
Heritage site in southern Spain. The 50,000 hectare
wetland has already lost 100 plant species over
the past century as a result of increased water
use. Sea levels have risen by 20cm over a similar
period and are projected to rise by between 20cm
and 110cm by the end of the century threatening
the site as a result of salt intrusion.
Cape Floral Region World Heritage
Site, South Africa The more than 550,000 hecatre
site, home to an outstanding array of plant diversity,
is threatened by changes in soil moisture and
winter rainfall.
Huascaran National Park, Peru.
Accelerated melting of glaciers is increasing
the risk of glacial lake outbursts threatening
a nearby cultural site called Chavin de Huantar,
home to pre-Inca treasures including 900BC temples.
Chinguetti Mosque, Mauritania
The World Heritage Site on the edge of the Sahara
is home to a remarkable collection of Islamic
manuscripts as well as a 13th century mosque.
A combination of factors has increased the threat
of encroachment by the desert which may intensify
as a result of climate change.
Herschel Island, Canada The
19th century whalers’ settlements on the island,
located in the Yukon Territory, are currently
on the Canadian World Heritage Tentative List
for their outstanding cultural value. However
deterioration of the permafrost is leading to
‘ground slumping’ which is affecting many of the
historic graves and caskets in places like Pauline
Cove.
Notes to Editors
The Atlas of Climate Change: Mapping the World’s
Greatest Challenge is available at Earthscan www.earthscan.co.uk
and University of California Press ucpress.edu
Predicting and Managing the Effects of Climate
Change on World Heritage can be found at http://whc.unesco.org/uploads/news/documents/news-262-1.doc
UNEP’s climate change web site for the climate
conference is http://www.unep.org/themes/climatechange/UNFCCC/
For More Information Please Contact Nick Nuttall,
UNEP Spokesperson
Elisabeth Waechter, Associate Information Officer
