IUCN World Heritage Outlook 4

Why in News ?

• The IUCN’s World Heritage Outlook 4 (2025) categorised the Western Ghats, Manas National Park (Assam), and Sundarbans National Park (West Bengal) as “of significant concern” among Asia’s natural World Heritage sites.
• Marks a decline in global conservation performance, with only 57% of sites showing a positive outlook, down from 63% in 2014, 2017, and 2020.

Relevance

• GS-3 (Environment): Conservation, Biodiversity, Environmental Degradation, Climate Change
• GS-2 (Governance): International Cooperation – IUCN, UNESCO, CBD, GBF

About the IUCN World Heritage Outlook

• A global conservation assessment that evaluates the state of all natural and mixed UNESCO World Heritage Sites every three years.
• Uses categories:
  • Good
  • Good with Some Concerns
  • Significant Concern
  • Critical
• Evaluates management effectiveness, threat levels, and conservation prospects.
• Outlook 4 (2025) is based on 200+ site assessments conducted since 2014.

Key Findings (2025)

• Global trend: Decline in positive conservation outlook (from 63% to 57%).
• New threats identified:
  • Roads and railways among top 5 threats (not previously listed).
  • Intensified climate change impact on ecosystems.
• Top four threats in South Asia:
  • Climate Change
  • Tourism Pressure
  • Invasive Alien Species
  • Infrastructure (Roads, Dams)

Sites of “Significant Concern” (India)

1. Western Ghats

• Biodiversity Hotspot: Older than the Himalayas, rich in endemic flora and fauna.
• Home to: ~325 globally threatened species (IUCN Red List).
• Major threats:
  • Hydropower projects (e.g.,₹5,843 crore Sillahalla Pumped Storage Project).
  • Monoculture plantations (eucalyptus, acacia).
  • Tourism-induced waste and elephant-human conflict.
  • Climate-driven species migration (Nilgiri flycatcher shifting to higher altitudes).
• Policy context: Conflicts over Kasturirangan and Gadgil panel recommendations on Western Ghats protection.

2. Manas National Park (Assam)

• UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1985, part of Manas Tiger Reserve.
• Concerns:
  • Encroachment and illegal grazing.
  • Political instability in Bodoland region in the past.
  • Poaching pressure and invasive weeds.
  • Habitat degradation affecting tigers, rhinos, and elephants.

3. Sundarbans National Park (West Bengal)

• World’s largest mangrove delta, shared by India and Bangladesh.
• Home to: Bengal Tiger, estuarine crocodile, fishing cats.
• Key threats:
  • Rising sea levels and salinity.
  • Heavy metal contamination and unregulated fishing.
  • Storm surges and coastal erosion.
  • Shrinking mangrove diversity.

Other Indian Sites (Better Status)

• “Good with Some Concerns”:
  • Kaziranga National Park
  • Keoladeo National Park
  • Great Himalayan National Park
  • Nanda Devi & Valley of Flowers
• “Good”:
  • Khangchendzonga National Park (Sikkim) — only Indian site in this top tier.

Comparative Global Context

• China: Seven sites ranked “bestprotected,” including
  • Mount Huangshan
  • Chengjiang Fossil Site
  • Badain Jaran Desert
• Global Significance:
  • Natural WH sites = <1% of Earth’s surface
  • Host >20% of mapped species richness (>1,00,000 species).
• Global Framework Link:
  • Supports Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) targets to halt biodiversity loss by 2030.

Structural and Policy Challenges (India & Asia)

• Habitat fragmentation: Roads, dams, and linear infrastructure bisect protected areas.
• Poor inter-agency coordination: Forest, energy, and tourism departments often work in silos.
• Invasive species management: Weak enforcement of biosecurity norms.
• Tourism mismanagement: Unregulated resorts, vehicular pollution, waste mismanagement.
• Climate adaptation gaps: Lack of wildlife corridors and assisted migration policies.

Positive Interventions & Opportunities

• Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ) notifications under Environment (Protection) Act.
• Project Tiger & Project Elephant integration for landscape-level conservation.
• Global support: UNESCO-IUCN collaboration under the “World Heritage Leadership Programme”.
• Community-based conservation:
  • Western Ghats’ sacred groves (community-preserved patches).
  • Eco-development in buffer zones (e.g., Kaziranga’s rural livelihood schemes).

Way Forward

• Policy Coherence: Integrate biodiversity into energy, infrastructure, and tourism planning.
• Climate-Resilient Conservation:
  • Strengthen climate refugia within protected areas.
  • Monitor species migration patterns.
• Restoration over Protection: Move from reactive to proactive habitat restoration.
• Technology Integration: Remote sensing, AI-based forest cover tracking, DNA barcoding for invasive species.
• Local Community Empowerment: Expand Joint Forest Management (JFM) to heritage zones.
• Global Partnerships: Use India’s G20 “LiFE” and CBD-GBF commitments to fund restoration and adaptation projects.

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