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H O World Heritage Marine Programme E M R I E TA IN G O World Heritage Centre E • PATRIM Our Our UNESCO United Nations World Educational, Scientific and Heritage 7, place de Fontenoy Cultural Organization Convention Challenge Mission 75007 Paris, France E-mail: wh-marine@.org

The impact of climate change is affecting Launched in 2005, the mission of the http://whc.unesco.org/en/marine-programme/ marine World Heritage sites at an World Heritage Marine Programme unprecedented rate. Rising temperatures is to ensure effective conservation of UNESCO and levels, extreme weather and mass existing and potential marine areas of bleaching events all compound existing Outstanding Universal Value so they World Heritage pressures such as illegal and unreported will thrive for generations to come. The Credits left to right and top to bottom: fisheries, marine pollution or unsustainable Programme has three main areas of Cover Page: © UNESCO / Kartika D. Suardana Marine Sites State of Conservation: © Brian Sullivan coastal developments. Most marine World focus to fulfill its mission. Network of Site Managers: © UNESCO / Taylor Butz Resilience and Climate Adaptation Capacity: © UNESCO / Daniel Correia 50 Heritage sites struggle to address the Beacons of Hope in a Changing Map: © UNESCO increasingly dangerous mix of cumulative Our Challenge: © Underwater / XL Catlin Seaview Survey / Christophe and combined effects. Bailhache “Safeguarding our Our Mission: © IRD / Jean-Michel Boré Back Cover: © UNESCO / Michelle Vanmaele ocean legacy from

Published in 2020 by the United Nations the past to pass it on Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, 7, place de Fontenoy, 75352 Paris 07 SP, France to future generations.”

© UNESCO 2020

United Nations World Educational, Scientific and Heritage Cultural Organization Convention World Heritage World Heritage site in Danger What we Where we Marine Sites Natural World Heritage site Inscribed on the Mixed cultural and natural UNESCO World World Heritage site Do Work Heritage List 50 Natural System of Wrangel Island Reserve The 1972 World Monitoring State of Conservation Kluane / Wrangell-St. Elias / Heritage Convention High Coast / Kvarken Archipelago Every site on the UNESCO World Heritage List is Glacier Bay / Tatshenshini-Alsek St Kilda Surtsey West Norwegian Fjords – Geirangerfjord and Nærøyfjord continuously monitored. In collaboration with Advisory The 1972 World Heritage Convention Bodies, the Programme monitors and prepares unites nations behind a shared Wadden Sea commitment to preserve the world’s Shiretoko evaluations on how countries protect their sites. Gulf of Porto: Information is gathered through field missions, outstanding heritage for the benefit Calanche of Piana, of present and future generations. Ibiza, Gulf of Girolata, scientific data and analyses. Results inform the World Islands and Protected Areas and Culture Scandola Reserve Heritage Committee which holds nations accountable It recognizes that the protection of the of these exceptional places is the for their action (or non-action) including through its Whale Sanctuary Everglades National Park duty of the international community Papahānaumokuākea of El Vizcaino Sian Ka'an Sundarbans National Park Danger Listing mechanism. Banc d'Arguin National Park Ogasawara Islands as a whole and it ensures that the Ha Long Bay Archipiélago de Revillagigedo Sanganeb Marine National Park The Sundarbans Connecting a Flagship Network preservation of these special sites Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System and Dungonab Bay – Mukkawar Island Socotra Archipelago Puerto-Princesa Subterranean Marine National Park River National Park of Site Managers becomes a shared responsibility. Area de Conservación Guanacaste Rock Islands Southern Coiba National Park and World Heritage marine sites share similar Cocos Island National Park its Special Zone of Marine Protection Brazilian Atlantic Islands: Tubbataha Reefs Fernando de Noronha and World Heritage Marine sites Natural Park Phoenix Islands Protected Area conservation challenges and hold a wealth of Malpelo Fauna Atol das Rocas Reserves information about best practices and solutions. Since the inscription of the first and Sanctuary Ujung Kulon National Park Galápagos Aldabra Atoll Komodo National Park Tapping the vast expertise contained across the marine site on the UNESCO World Islands East Rennell network is at the heart of the Programme’s work and Heritage List in 1981, our network accelerates reaching the United Nations Sustainable has grown into a global collection Great Barrier Reef Ningaloo Coast of New Caledonia: Development Goals for effective, efficient and of unique ocean places. Today, the Reef Diversity and equitably managed World Heritage sites. List includes 50 ocean places of iSimangaliso Park Associated Ecosystems Outstanding Universal Value to Shark Bay, Western Lord Howe Island Group Building Resilience and humanity across 37 countries. They Climate Adaptation Capacity are recognized as UNESCO World Península Valdés Gough and Inaccessible Islands Heritage for their exceptional marine Climate change has become the biggest threat French Austral Lands and New Sub-Antarctic Islands biodiversity, singular ecosystem, to marine World Heritage. The Programme’s Macquarie Island work focuses on building resilience through the unique geological processes and Heard and McDonald Islands reduction of on-site pressures, empowering local incomparable beauty. communities toward holistic climate adaptation strategies and assessing the impacts of climate change across World Heritage-listed marine protected areas.