3 Indonesian World Heritage Sites Among Top 50 at Risk of Extinction

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Dozens of UNESCO World Heritage Sites are at risk of extinction by 2050 due to climate change, including several popular tourist destinations in Indonesia.

The UNESCO World Heritage list currently comprises 1,223 sites deemed crucial for the planet's future and deserving of perpetual protection. A new study by Climate X highlights the sites most vulnerable to climate change.

Climate X Research

The Climate X team utilized the Spectra Climate X platform, which models the potential impacts of climate change on property, assets, and infrastructure under various scenarios. The platform's algorithms assess the risk of extreme weather events, including 16 different climate hazards, from extreme heat to tropical cyclones and floods, across eight warming scenarios over a 100-year timeframe.

Lucky Ahmed, CEO and co-founder of Climate X, emphasized the study's urgent warning to governments, conservationists, and the global community about the need to prioritize Earth's protection. 

“This includes safeguarding our ancient monuments, existing assets, infrastructure, and ultimately, life itself, both present and future,” he stated, as quoted from the Daily Mail.

Ahmed added that the potential consequences of climate change on these sites are enormous, not only for the heritage of the past but also for the present. “While the loss of this cultural wealth, much of which has endured for millennia, would of course be devastating, it's equally important to remember the real-world impacts of climate change on people and economies today,” he said.

List of World Heritage Sites at Risk of Extinction

The analysis identified 50 key sites at risk if global greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise on their current trajectory. Topping the list is Indonesia's Subak System in Bali, which is vulnerable to surface flooding, extreme heat, and drought. 

Following closely are Kakadu National Park in Australia, which is threatened by flooding and bushfires, and Quanzhou: Emporium of the World in China, which is at risk of drought.

In addition to the Subak System, other Indonesian World Heritage Sites facing extinction risks include the Ombilin Coal Mine in Sawahlunto, West Sumatra and Komodo National Park in East Nusa Tenggara, both susceptible to surface flooding, extreme heat, and drought.

Other significant World Heritage sites on the list include the Sydney Opera House in Australia, the Olympic National Park in the United States, the Swiss Alps Jungfrau-Aletsch in Switzerland, and the Sansa Buddha Mountain Monastery in Korea.

YUNIA PRATIWI

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