A major new digital mapping project could help protect some of the world's most important heritage sites from the growing threat of climate change.
Researchers have created the Global Coastal Heritage (Glo-CoH) dataset, the first comprehensive digital map of UNESCO World Heritage sites located on coastlines less than 20 metres above sea level.
The resource will help scientists, conservationists and policymakers better understand how rising seas, flooding and coastal erosion could affect these internationally important places.
The project was led by researchers from the University of East Anglia (UEA), Durham University and the University of Cape Town.
The findings have been published in the journal Scientific Data.
Many coastal heritage sites face increasing environmental pressures.
Until now, it has been difficult to assess their vulnerability accurately because detailed digital boundary maps have often been unavailable.
The new dataset addresses this challenge by providing precise digital boundaries for every UNESCO World Heritage property of Outstanding Universal Value situated in low-lying coastal areas.
The database includes 1,250 sites worldwide, covering cultural landmarks, natural sites and locations recognised for both their cultural and natural importance.
Together, these sites cover more than 235 million hectares across the globe.
Examples include the Sydney Opera House in Australia, coastal sections of the Great Wall of China, the Moai of Rapa Nui and large parts of St Petersburg in Russia.
The dataset is based on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites as of 2023 but the team will be updating it to 2026 by the end of this year.
Professor Joanne Clarke led the team responsible for digitising the heritage site boundaries while at UEA and later in our Department of Archaeology.
She said: "One of our key aims was to create a comprehensive, up-to-date catalogue of spatial boundaries for coastal World Heritage properties, giving heritage managers a reliable tool to assess, plan and respond to future threats.
"By making the dataset publicly available and in an accessible format, we are enabling heritage professionals, researchers and scientists around the world to undertake their own analysis and modelling."
To create the maps, the international team used published site plans alongside Google Earth satellite imagery to identify and trace site boundaries.
The team has made the resource publicly available so it can support future research and conservation planning.
Researchers are already using it in new studies exploring sea level rise risks to coastal heritage sites and climate threats to biodiversity, including coral reefs and mangroves.
Main image shows Shanhai Pass, The Great Wall of China. Image created by David Bescoby based on Google imagery.
Rapa Nui National Park, Easter Island, Chile. Image created by David Bescoby using Google imagery.
Saint Petersburg, Russia. Image created by David Bescoby using Bing Satellite imagery.
Sydney Opera House, Australia. Image created by David Bescoby based on Bing Satellite imagery.
Global distribution of world heritage sites digitized. Credit David Bescoby.
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