The biggest threats to heritage sites worldwide? War, urbanisation, tourism, climate change and lack of funding

The Mesoamerican pyramids at Teotihuacán have suffered from overtourism Photo: Courtesy World Monuments Fund
World Monuments Fund (WMF) has found that the most widespread threats to heritage sites include climate change and rapid urbanisation. A study of more than 200 heritage sites around the world also found that factors like war, insufficient funding, irresponsible tourism and “lapse in oversight” topped the list. This is according to research for WMF’s upcoming World Monuments Watch, a biennial list of sites in danger of deterioration or destruction.
“Since its inception in 1996, the World Monuments Watch has been a crucial tool for WMF to understand the evolving needs of heritage sites and the communities that rely on them,” Bénédicte de Montlaur, chief executive of World Monuments Fund, said in a statement. “Our data-driven approach has deepened our insights, enabling us to craft more effective strategies and take meaningful action where needed most.”
In terms of regional menaces, WMF found that climate change appears to be the largest factor in Sub-Saharan Africa, while urbanisation and development is most threatening to historical sites in Asia. Lack of funding appears to be the biggest problem in Europe and North America, while sites in Latin America and the Caribbean suffer most from overtourism. In the Middle East and North Africa, war and lack of local resources are the top concerns.
The 2025 World Monuments Watch list will be released in January 2025, culled from 211 publicly nominated sites in 69 countries.

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