World Heritage and Climate Change -Future Research Needs

1. World Heritage and Climate Change -Future Research Needs Bastian BomhardWorld Heritage OfficerProtected Areas Programme Bastian.Bomhard@iucn.org

2. List (see pages 23-26 in draft) compiled based on input from IUCN / WCPA experts from around the world Research needs divided in 6 categories: Impacts on OUV in general Impacts on criterion vii: “beauty” Impacts on criterion viii: “geodiversity” Impacts on criteria ix and x: “biodiversity” Impacts on integrity Other WH research needs Natural Heritage – Future research needs

3. What are the most / least vulnerable WH values, sites, Tentative List sites, types of sites and regions? Collect baseline data on OUV (e.g. Statements of OUV), specific WH values and sites as well as their climate sensitivity to provide a greater indication of those most / more vulnerable to climate change. Identify suitable indicators and developing monitoring systems adequate for the detection of climatic changes and their impacts to predict how these impacts will threaten WH values and sites over time and space. Need to consider feedbacks with other threats. Identify critical thresholds: How much climate change is too much for specific WH values and sites? Natural Heritage – Impacts on OUV in general

4. Understand the impacts on the hydrology of natural WH sites, as any changes in water quality and quantity would affect the values of the sites and their functioning. Understand the implications of changing water chemistry and temperatures for marine (e.g. coral), coastal and freshwater WH sites. Improve projection (i.e. reduce uncertainty) of rainfall changes (direction, magnitude and rate of change) and their impacts on natural WH sites. Natural Heritage – Impacts on OUV in general

5. Assess climate change impacts on aesthetic and scenic WH values (e.g. waterfalls and wetlands), for example from changes in extreme weather events, fire and water regimes, vegetation and other landscape level dynamics. Assess climate change impacts on superlative natural phenomena such as wildlife migrations for example from (seasonal) changes in climate parameters, fire and water regimes, food availability and nutrient cycles (cf. CMS). Identify criterion vii values, sites and types of sites most at risk as well as appropriate management responses to avoid or alleviate impacts. Natural Heritage – Impacts on criterion vii

6. Assess impacts of climate change on fossil, geological and geomorphologic WH values, for example from sea level rise and changes in extreme weather events, fire and water regimes (e.g. important for caves), weathering and erosion (e.g. important for fossils). Identify criterion viii values, sites and types of sites most at risk as well as appropriate management responses to avoid or alleviate impacts. Natural Heritage – Impacts on criterion viii

7. Assess impacts of climate change on biodiversity values, including habitats, species, ecological and biological processes, for example from sea level rise and changes in climate parameters, extreme weather events, fire and water regimes, food availability and nutrient cycles. Assess the impacts on species and community dynamics in natural WH sites, and the impacts of species range shifts and losses on ecosystem functions. Assess feedbacks with other pressures (pollution, invasive alien species, habitat destruction and degradation, desertification, development etc.). Natural Heritage – Impacts on criteria ix and x

8. Understand the climatic thresholds of species and communities that form the basis of key values of natural WH sites. This is critical for our capacity to plan for management responses. Need to not only consider emblematic species but also those that support them. Identify criteria ix and x values, sites and types of sites most at risk as well as appropriate management responses to avoid or alleviate impacts. Identify “climate refugia” inside and outside natural WH sites for biodiversity WH values (e.g. key species, habitats, evolutionary processes etc.). Natural Heritage – Impacts on criteria ix and x

9. Integrity includes aspects such as size, shape, boundaries, buffer zones, management, threats, etc. of WH sites How to reduce the vulnerability of WH sites? Identify appropriate management responses for States Parties and site managers. Build resistance and resilience into the design and management of natural WH sites and their buffer zones (e.g. through conserving “climate refugia”, restoring ecosystem functions or reducing other threats). Develop and implement landscape level approaches to improve landscape connectivity of natural WH sites. Natural Heritage – Impacts on integrity

10. Determine the adaptive capacity and capacity building needs of States Parties and site managers. Develop and implement adaptive approaches to the management of species and habitats, fire and water regimes, visitors, etc. in WH sites. What will the direct and indirect impacts be from climate change effects on local communities, their livelihoods and land use practices in the areas around natural WH sites? Identify appropriate approaches supporting the adaptation of local communities in order to reduce human pressure on the natural resources of WH sites. Natural Heritage – Impacts on integrity

11. Explore options how the activities under the WH Convention can become "carbon neutral" by reducing and/or offsetting the carbon emissions of these activities. How do natural WH sites contribute to greenhouse gas emissions, capture and storage? Research source and sink dynamics of natural WH sites. Explore potential for recognizing carbon values of natural WH sites to increase leverage for conservation and explore how these can contribute to sustainable financing. Research how to best educate the public on the implications of climate change for WH sites. Natural Heritage – Other WH research needs

12. A lot of research out there already How to apply this to WH context (e.g. scale issues)? Still a long list of specific WH research needs: What are the key priorities for WH in general,specific WH values, sites and regions? How to ensure that these gaps are filled – through cooperation with the scientific / funding community? How to ensure the communication of relevant research results and lessons learned to the WH community? Research needs – Discussion points