A new report commissioned by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) on the status of United Nations World Heritage sites has found that many of these declared sanctuaries are under threat because of various human activities, not least of which involves the development of industries such as mining, construction and oil and gas exploration.
One of the main goals of creating World Heritage sites is to help ensure that the environment is healthy, which the WWF believes can significantly benefit local communities.
In fact, about 90 percent of these declared sanctuaries help provide livelihoods for the millions of people who lived within their surrounding area. About two-thirds of World Heritage sites serve as sources of fresh water for these people as well.
However, various industrial activities within these sites have caused significant degradation of the environment, placing the economic and non-economic benefits gained from such sanctuaries at great risk.
In its report, the WWF said that out of the 229 natural and mixed heritage sites declared by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 96 different countries, about 114 of them are under threat from human developments made for economic growth.
"Despite the obvious benefits of these natural areas, we still haven't managed to decouple economic development from environmental degradation," Marco Lambertini, director general of the WWF, wrote in the foreword of the report.
"Instead, too often, we grant concessions for exploration of oil, gas or minerals, and plan large-scale industrial projects without considering social and environmental risks."
Among those facing imminent danger is the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, which is considered to be the largest coral reef ecosystem in the world. The WWF said that the Great Barrier Reef is threatened by both shipping and mining activities in the region.
In Peru, Machu Picchu, the world famous Inca citadel from the 15th century, is under threat because of illegal logging.
Meanwhile, the Grand Canyon Natural Park in the United States is facing widespread degradation because of the creation of dams in the area and unsustainable water usage.
UNESCO also maintains a list of endangered World Heritage sites in the world based on Article 11 of the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage. Among those included in the list are:
1. The cultural landscape and archaeological remains of the Bamiyan Valley and the minaret and archaeological remains of Jam in Afghanistan
2. The Barrier Reef Reserve System in Belize
3. The city of Potosí in Bolivia
4. The Manovo-Gounda St Floris National Park in the Central African Republic
5. The old city of Jerusalem as well as its surrounding walls
6. The rainforests of the Atsinanana in Madagascar
7. The birthplace of Jesus in Palestine, which includes the Church of the Nativity and the Pilgrimage Route in Bethlehem
8. The ancient cities of Damascus, Bosra and Aleppo in Syria
9. The maritime mercantile city of Liverpool in the United Kingdom
10. The Everglades National Park in the United States
11. Humberstone and Santa Laura Saltpeter Works in Chile
12. The Comoé National Park and the Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve in Côte d'Ivoire
13. The Garamba National Park, the Kahuzi-Biega National Park, the Okapi Wildlife Reserve, the Salonga National Park and the Virunga National Park in Congo
14. The Abu Mena in Egypt
15. The Simien National Park in Ethiopia
16. The Bagrati Cathedral, the Gelati Monastery and the historical monuments of Mtskheta in Georgia
17. Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve in Guinea
18. Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve in Honduras
19. The Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra in Indonesia
20. The Niokolo-Koba National Park in Senegal
21. The medieval monuments in Kosovo in Serbia
22. East Rennell in the Solomon Islands
Lambertini reiterated that efforts to preserve natural areas and ecosystems do not run counter with development but rather they help promote long-term and sustainable development that can benefit both people and natural systems alike.
