Publication Date:
2022-10-03
Description:
In 2017, UNESCO’s World Heritage Centre published the first global scientific assessment of the impact of climate change on UNESCO World Heritage coral reefs. The ‘Assessment’ reported that heat stress events have increasingly caused severe coral bleaching and mortality of World Heritage-listed reefs around the world over the past three decades. Of the 29 World Heritage-listed natural coral reef properties (Fig. 1), 15 were exposed to repeated severe heat stress during the 2014-2017 global bleaching event1. Recurrent severe bleaching was already apparent at more than half of the properties. While this global event did not trigger the onset of annual severe bleaching conditions in perpetuity, the impact of recurrent bleaching on coral reefs was clearly demonstrated. The first global assessment was released ahead of the 41st session of the World Heritage Committee in 2017 and underpinned the first decision of the Committee on coral reefs and climate change: to reiterate “the importance of States Parties undertaking the most ambitious implementation of the Paris Agreement of the UNFCCC [United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change]”, and to strongly invite all States Parties “to undertake actions to address Climate Change under the Paris Agreement consistent with their common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities, in the light of different national circumstances that are fully consistent with their obligations within the World Heritage Convention to protect the OUV [Outstanding Universal Value] of all World Heritage properties”. This update responds to the recommendation of the Assessment to undertake high-resolution future projection analysis under the RCP2.6 emissions scenario, in which emissions peak during the current decade (2010-2020) and achieve the limit of well below 2°C by 21005. This update further responds to the World Heritage Committee request to make available the most current knowledge regarding the impacts of climate change on World Heritage properties. This updated analysis provides understanding of the implications of meeting the long-term goal of the UNFCCC Paris Agreement for World Heritage-listed coral reefs.
Description:
Agence Française pour la Biodiversité
Description:
NOAA
Description:
University of Miami
Description:
University of Colorado
Description:
OPENASFA INPUT
Suggested citation:
Heron et al. 2018. Impacts of Climate Change on World Heritage Coral Reefs: Update to the First Global Scientific Assessment. Paris, UNESCO World Heritage Centre.
Description:
Published
Description:
Not Known
Keywords:
Climate Change
;
World Heritage
;
Coral Reefs
;
Scientific Assessment
;
Global
;
United Nations Framework Conference on Climate Change
;
Coral bleaching
;
Climate modeling
Repository Name:
AquaDocs
Type:
Report
Format:
8pp.
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