UNESCO members are expected to vote next week on whether to add more places to the "in danger" list for World Heritage sites, with new entries linked to conflict, war and climate-related pressures. The proposed additions span both cultural landmarks and major natural areas.
Among the places highlighted are Biblical sites, Lebanese castles, South Sudan's antelope migration path and Lake Baikal, the world's deepest lake. Based on the proposal, these locations face different kinds of risks, but all are being assessed as vulnerable enough to warrant closer international attention.
The planned listings underline how threats to heritage are no longer limited to neglect or local damage. Armed conflict can directly endanger historic structures and ecosystems, while climate change is increasingly seen as a long-term risk to globally important natural and cultural sites.
If approved, the move would expand the roster of UNESCO sites officially recognized as under threat. It would also reinforce the growing focus on protecting heritage in regions affected by instability and environmental change.
