17 European World Heritage Sites named as the most at risk from climate change

From the Swiss Alps to the Sydney Opera House, some of the world’s most iconic UNESCO World Heritage Sites could be wiped out by climate change, new analysis shows.

Flooding, coastal erosion, landslides, strong winds, extreme heat, storms and cyclones are just some of the climate-related hazards hitting iconic sites around the globe.

Climate risk data analytics company Climate X modelled how these will affect 500 such landmarks, identifying the top 50 most at-risk by 2050 if greenhouse gas emissions are not drastically cut.

A total of 17 European World Heritage Sites appear on the list, with flooding and drought being leading risks across the continent.

Sweden’s Engelsberg Ironworks is the most at-risk site from climate change in Europe, coming in at number four on the world top 50 list due to the threat of surface and river flooding.

Dating back to the 17th century, it is recognised as an outstanding example of the European industrial complex and the best preserved example of a Swedish iron-working estate, which boosted Sweden’s prosperity over two centuries.

It’s closely followed by the Grotte Chauvet-Pont d’Arc in Ardèche, France, which comes in sixth place. Threatened by surface flooding and landslides, the decorated cave contains the earliest-known and best-preserved figurative drawings in the world, dating back as far as 32,000 years.

In 11th place, the Jungfrau-Aletsch region of the Swiss Alps narrowly escapes the top 10. Home to Europe's largest glacier, it is at risk from river floods.

Similar threats are faced by the Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex in Essen, Germany (12th place), while the Rjukan-Notodden Industrial Heritage Site (13th place) in Norway - which used hydroelectricity to manufacture nitrogen