Increased challenges for world heritage protection as a result of urbanisation in Lijiang City

Urbanisation has significantly intensified pressures on the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Old Town of Lijiang, with a more than doubling increase in stress between 2000 and 2009. The study employed an integrated method combining the analytic network process (ANP), governmental census data, satellite imagery, ecosystem services, and sewage treatment records to quantify 16 indicators over three decades. Findings revealed an exponential relationship between urbanisation rates and pressure, highlighting that even minor increases in urbanisation can drastically escalate challenges for heritage protection. Population growth and tourism emerged as the most critical factors driving this trend, underscoring urgent implications for safeguarding Lijiang's cultural and natural heritage.

Cui, S., Yang, X., Guo, X., Lin, T., Zhao, Q., & Feng, L. (2011). Increased challenges for world heritage protection as a result of urbanisation in Lijiang City. International Journal of Sustainable Development & World Ecology, 18(6), 480–485. https://doi.org/10.1080/13504509.2011.603758