Climate risk assessment of China’s Cultural World Heritage highlights urgent need for adaptation

A comprehensive climate risk assessment of China's UNESCO World Heritage Sites reveals that 82% of the country's cultural heritage properties, including the Historic Monuments of Dengfeng, face increased risk by mid-century under a moderate-emissions scenario. By 2100, over one-third of these sites are projected to shift from low to high or extreme risk, with urban and peri-urban areas particularly vulnerable. Ancient architectural structures like Mount Wutai and the Yungang Grottoes are at immediate risk, emphasizing the urgent need for adaptation strategies to mitigate potential losses and damages. The study integrates expert elicitation with climate projections to provide actionable guidance for site-specific interventions.

Lei, T., Wang, J., Jiang, Y., Sun, S., Simpson, N. P., Pang, X., Shen, B., Wu, Y., Wu, Y., Wang, Q., Huang, G., Zhang, Y., & Jiang, R. (2026). Climate risk assessment of China’s Cultural World Heritage highlights urgent need for adaptation. Npj Heritage Science, 14(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s40494-026-02512-9