The Hindu: Published on 27th Oct 2025.
Why in News?
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has placed India’s Western Ghats, along with Manas National Park (Assam) and Sundarbans National Park (West Bengal), under the category of “significant concern” in its World Heritage Outlook 4 Report (2025).
This classification indicates a serious decline in the conservation status of these ecologically important sites due to various human and environmental pressures.
Background:
The IUCN World Heritage Outlook is a periodic global assessment that evaluates the conservation status of natural and mixed World Heritage sites.
Since 2014, the IUCN has conducted four assessment cycles (2014, 2017, 2020, and 2025).
These assessments categorize sites as:
Good
Good with some concerns
Significant concern
Critical
The 2025 report notes that only 57% of sites now have a positive conservation outlook, down from 63% earlier — marking the first significant decline.
Key Findings of the Report:
Four main threats have been identified for South Asian habitats:
Climate Change
Tourism Activities
Invasive Alien Species
Roads and Infrastructure Development
New emerging threats include:
Forest fires
Illegal logging
Encroachment
Hunting and waste disposal
Roadkill due to expanding highways and rail lines
Why Western Ghats are Red-Flagged:
The Western Ghats, older than the Himalayas, are one of the world’s eight “hottest biodiversity hotspots”. They are home to:
325 globally threatened species of flora and fauna.
High endemism (species found nowhere else on Earth), such as the Nilgiri Tahr and Black and Orange Flycatcher.
However, several threats endanger the ecosystem:
Hydropower Projects:
Example – The ₹5,843 crore Sillahalla Pumped Storage Hydroelectric Project threatens to fragment forests and alter river ecosystems.
Unregulated Tourism:
Rising garbage levels, animal-human conflicts, and degradation of forest areas.
Plantations and Land Conversion:
Natural ecosystems are being replaced by tea, coffee, and rubber plantations.
Climate Change:
Species are being forced to shift to higher altitudes; altered rainfall patterns and temperature changes.
Invasive Species:
Eucalyptus and Acacia (introduced during colonial times) are replacing native vegetation.
The Situation in the Sundarbans:
Salinity increase due to sea-level rise.
Heavy metal pollution from industrial sources.
Unsustainable resource extraction (wood, fish, etc.).
Frequent cyclones and storm surges leading to loss of mangrove biodiversity.
These factors together threaten the unique tiger-mangrove ecosystem.
India’s Other Assessed Sites:
“Good” category:
Khangchendzonga National Park (Sikkim)
“Good with some concerns”:
The Great Himalayan National Park
Kaziranga National Park
Keoladeo National Park
Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Parks
Global Comparison:
In contrast, seven sites in China have been listed as “best protected and managed”, such as:
Mount Huangshan
Chengjiang Fossil Site
Badain Jaran Desert
Impact and Implications:
The declining conservation status reflects weak management and growing human pressure on ecosystems.
Habitat fragmentation and species migration may accelerate biodiversity loss.
India’s eco-sensitive zones and buffer area policies need stricter implementation.
Urgent conservation action is required to restore forest integrity and reduce climate impact.
Way Forward / Hope for the Future:
IUCN stresses that this report should act as a “guide for action”, not just a warning.
The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework aims to halt biodiversity loss by 2030.
The UNESCO World Heritage Convention plays a vital role by bridging nature and culture in conservation efforts.
Strengthening local community participation, ecotourism regulation, and scientific restoration can help reverse the decline.
Conclusion:
- The IUCN’s red-flagging of the Western Ghats and other Indian sites is a wake-up call for policymakers and conservationists.
- If immediate and coordinated action is not taken to balance development with ecological integrity, India risks losing some of its most irreplaceable natural treasures.
