A report by Climate X, a data analysis platform on climate risks, has identified 50 UNESCO World Heritage sites at risk from global warming. Among the sites concerned, 20 are classified among the most at risk, including the Sydney Opera House, the Song-Yuan World Emporium in China in Quanzhou. In France, the medieval city of Provins is (curiously) one of them.
The Song-Yuan World Emporium, which joined the World Heritage List in 2021, tops the list of the most endangered places. The site is indeed threatened by drought. The former shipping trading post in the city of Quanzhou contains many historic buildings: an 11th-century Qingjing Mosque and Islamic tombs, remains of pagodas, stone wharves and administrative buildings.
The Sydney Opera House, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2007, is under threat from rising sea levels due to global warming. The Sydney Harbour where the famous opera house is located is particularly at risk. Climate change would cause temperatures to rise by 1.8 degrees by 2050, according to an Australian government climate report. The famous Sydney Opera House, opened in 1973, is a 20th-century architectural masterpiece, built by architect Jorn Utzon.
The town of Provins in Seine-et-Marne.
The fortified medieval town of Provins (Seine-et-Marne), registered in 2011, is also on the list due to the risk of the Voulzie River which crosses it overflowing. Contacted by the JdAthe City indicates that it has not been informed.
The 500 sites analyzed were assessed based on risks related to flooding, coastal erosion, landslides, storms and cyclones. Using algorithms, Climate X predicted the risks related to extreme weather conditions across 8 scenarios over 100 years. Of the total sites analyzed, 50 sites are at risk if greenhouse gas emissions do not decrease. “The potential impact of climate change on these sites is significant. But it’s not just our heritage that’s under threat – it’s also our present.”says Lukky Ahmed, Climate X’s director and co-founder.
