UNESCO report warns of extracting activities near World Heritage sites

UNESCO, the Church of England Pensions Board, Greenbank, the International Union for Conservation of Nature, and WWF call on investors to adhere to industry commitments and ensure World Heritage Site protection.

UNESCO and its partners today released a report which shows the extent to which extractive industries are encroaching upon UNESCO World Heritage sites.

The report, “Extractive Activities in UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Commitments, Risks and Investment Implications", offers the most comprehensive analysis to date on the presence and proximity of areas licenced for oil, gas, and mineral exploration and production in and around some of the world’s most treasured cultural and natural heritage sites.

Jointly released by UNESCO, the Church of England Pensions Board, Greenbank, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and WWF, the report also emphasizes the critical role investors can play in assessing their risk exposure and influencing extractive companies’ practices. The data and analysis in the report help investors identify and manage the risks, aligning their investment decisions with global heritage protection commitments.

In addition, the report outlines several ways investors can identify, assess, and respond to risks arising from operations within and near UNESCO World Heritage sites. These guidelines rely on UNESCO policy standards, focusing on how investors can integrate these standards into their own processes.

“World Heritage sites support millions of livelihoods through tourism, agriculture, and other vital sectors. Oil, gas, and mining companies – and their investors – have a crucial role to play in safeguarding these irreplaceable places from harm.”

Lazare Eloundou Assomo, Director of World Heritage, UNESCO

Protected, but not safe

According to the report, companies currently hold oil, gas, and mining assets – licensed areas for exploration or production – in 97 of the 266 assessed natural UNESCO World Heritage sites, representing 36 per cent of sites. These include mining claims in 58 sites, oil and gas wells in 27, awarded oil and gas blocks in 25, oil and gas bid blocks in 14, and mining projects in 10. More than 800 individual assets overlapping with natural and mixed sites have been identified worldwide, impacting every region.

Updating a similar spatial analysis conducted by WWF in 2015, the report finds that more than half of the sites previously identified as affected by extractive overlaps remain so today, indicating persistent and unresolved pressure.

The risks extend beyond the boundaries of sites themselves. Nearly half (48 percent) of natural sites lie within one kilometre of extractive activity, and 73 per cent are within 20 kilometres, placing them at increased risk of pollution, habitat destruction, and cultural disruption.

For the first time, the report also evaluates risks to cultural World Heritage sites and  reveals that 17 per cent of them – 158 out of 925 – are within 500 metres of extractive activity. Oil and gas activities are found near 124 cultural sites, while mining activities affect 45.

“Natural World Heritage sites are among nature’s most precious gifts to humanity yet, despite their status, they are still coming under ongoing pressure from oil, gas and mining companies. As hotspots of biodiversity and culture, these sites can help support sustainable development and tackle climate change – we should not put them at risk.”

Daudi Sumba, Chief Conservation Officer, WWF International

Extractives in World Heritage sites is an investment risk

The overlap between extractive activities and World Heritage sites presents a serious investment risk as companies operating in sensitive locations face growing scrutiny from regulators, shareholders, civil society and the public. This can lead to project delays, fines, reputational damage, and even operational shutdowns, all of which can impact profit margins and undermine long-term investment value.

The report urges investors and extractive companies to avoid operating in or near these high-risk areas and to ensure that their activities comply with internationally recognized environmental and social standards, including UNESCO’s guidance supporting the World Heritage 'no-go' commitment.

“Investors must act as responsible stewards of capital by ensuring the companies they finance do not put World Heritage sites at risk. This is not just a conservation issue – it’s a matter of long-term financial and reputational risk investors need to manage.”

Laura Hillis, Director of Climate and Environment, the Church of England Pensions Board

A critical opportunity and a shared responsibility

Despite the risks, a window of opportunity remains. Most of the identified extractive assets are still in the forms of claims and concessions rather than active mines or oil and gas wells. This provides a crucial chance to take preventive action before operations begin and irreversible damage occurs.

Strong national legal protections, comprehensive impact assessments, and greater transparency of extractive licensing processes are essential. Licences that overlap with or threaten areas of high conservation value should be responsibly phased out.

“Extractive activities have long been recognized as fundamentally incompatible with World Heritage status. It is essential that governments, investors, and companies respect these sites as off-limits to oil, gas and mineral concessions and operations.”

Tim Badman, Director of World Heritage, IUCN

To prevent harm to World Heritage sites, investors must integrate spatial, financial and reputational risks into their investment policies and decision-making. A growing number of companies and organizations have already taken this step, following the example of the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM), which was the first to adopt a World Heritage ‘no-go’ commitment.

“We believe investors have a responsibility to recognise where clear limits to economic activities must be drawn and to support companies that operate with care and responsibility. At its heart, this is about protecting what cannot be replaced.”

Kai Johns, Senior Ethical, Sustainable and Impact Researcher, Greenbank

---

UNESCO thanks the Government of Flanders (Kingdom of Belgium) for its support in strengthening corporate sector engagement in the protection of World Heritage. Learn more at: https://whc.unesco.org/en/no-go-commitment/

---

About UNESCO and the World Heritage Convention

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations dedicated to strengthening our shared humanity through the promotion of education, science, culture, and communication. It seeks to encourage the identification, protection and preservation of cultural and natural heritage around the world considered to be of outstanding value to humanity. This is embodied in an international treaty called the Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, adopted by UNESCO in 1972.

About the Church of England Pensions Board

The Church of England Pensions Board provides retirement services to those who serve or work for the Church, managing pension schemes for over 43,000 members across 700 Church organizations. Managing around £3.4 billion in funds, it invests responsibly and sustainably for the long term to meet pension commitments. Guided by the ethics of the Church of England, it actively engages with companies and sectors to drive positive change alongside other investors, focusing on issues important to its members and their future. Find out more on their investment policy here.

About Greenbank

Greenbank provides investment management services for private investors, trusts and charities, and has been helping to drive change in finance, business and society through ethical and sustainable investment for over 20 years. As the sustainable investment specialists within Rathbones Group, Greenbank strives to be the natural home for investors seeking to align their investments with their values, providing sustainable investment as a standard, not an add on.

About IUCN

IUCN is the global authority on the state of the natural world and the measures needed to safeguard it. IUCN brings together 1,500 government and civil society members, over 17,000 affiliated experts, while also helping businesses implement practices that conserve nature and benefit people. Since 1972, IUCN has served as the official Advisory Body on nature under the World Heritage Convention, leading the technical evaluation of new nominations, monitoring existing sites, and supporting conservation action through our global network and granting tools. Learn more about IUCN’s World Heritage work here.

About WWF

WWF is an independent conservation organization, with over 35 million followers and a global network active through local leadership in over 100 countries. Its mission is to stop the degradation of the planet's natural environment and to build a future in which people live in harmony with nature, by conserving the world's biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption. Find out more at wwf.panda.org.