Where World Heritage Sites Are Under Threat

A new report from UNESCO has revealed the extent to which natural World Heritage sites are in danger. Globally, the organization has assessed that the conservation outlook of 36 percent of sites is either of significant concern or critical. The most common threats are invasive/non-native species, climate change, and the effects of tourism/recreation.

As our infographic shows, the region with the largest share of such sites is Mesoamerica and the Caribbean where 55 percent have been classified so. Of critical concern there are the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve in Mexico and the Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve in Honduras. Also on the critical list is the Everglades National Park in the U.S.