IUCN & Western Ghats, Manas, and Sundarbans
17.10.2025
- IUCN & Western Ghats, Manas, and Sundarbans
Context
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), in its World Heritage Outlook 4 (2025) report, flagged India’s Western Ghats, Manas National Park, and Sundarbans National Park as “Significant Concern” sites, indicating deterioration in conservation status due to climate and human pressures .
About the IUCN World Heritage Outlook
The World Heritage Outlook is a periodic global assessment (every 3‑4 years) that evaluates the status of World Heritage natural sites and threats to biodiversity.
It classifies sites into four categories — Good, Good with Some Concerns, Significant Concern, and Critical.
In the 2025 edition, 30% of Asian sites fell under the “Significant Concern” category — up from 26% in 2020 — mainly due to rising climate impacts, tourism, and land‑use pressures .
|
Site |
Location |
Key Threats |
|
Western Ghats |
Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu |
Forest loss (−5%), urbanisation, tourism pressure, infrastructure projects |
|
Manas National Park |
Assam (India–Bhutan transboundary) |
Habitat damage, poaching, floods, invasive species |
|
Sundarbans National Park |
West Bengal (India–Bangladesh transboundary) |
Sea‑level rise, erosion, salinity, unsustainable tourism |
Key Observations from Outlook 2025
- India’s Status: Of 7 natural World Heritage sites, only Khangchendzonga NP is rated “Good,” four others are “Good with Some Concerns,” while Western Ghats, Manas, and Sundarbans are under “Significant Concern.”
- Dominant Threats: Climate change has surpassed hunting as the most widespread risk in Asia, followed by tourism and invasive species .
- Infrastructure Risks: Expansion of roads and railways has entered the top‑five threats, causing habitat fragmentation and wildlife mortality .
- Regional Trend: Globally, 57% of sites now have a positive conservation outlook — down from 63% in 2020, marking the first recorded decline since 2014 .
Way Forward
- Strengthen climate resilience and ecosystem restoration projects across vulnerable sites.
- Integrate community‑based management to balance tourism and livelihood goals.
- Enhance environmental impact assessments for infrastructure projects within eco‑sensitive zones.
- Employ AI and satellite surveillance for real‑time monitoring of habitat changes.
Conclusion
The IUCN findings act as a warning for India’s natural heritage. Preserving these biodiversity hotspots demands coordinated action on climate, tourism, and land use — ensuring that India’s global ecological assets remain resilient and protected for future generations .