'Threatened' by Drought or Desertification
WHS faced with a lack of water which threatens the criteria on which they were inscribed. The causes may be "Global Warming" (whether "anthropogenic" or not) reducing regular rainfall and increasing desertification or excessive taking of ground water, diversion of rivers etc.
Connected Sites
| Site | Rationale | Link |
| Ancient ksours | Chinguetti. "The city is seriously threatened by the encroaching desert; high sand dunes mark the western boundary and several houses have been abandoned to the encroaching sand." | |
| Great Wall | "A 60-kilometer section of the Great Wall located in Ning Xia/Gansu province is at severe risk of complete obliteration from sandstorms. These sandstorms are a result of desertification, the disappearance of vegetation, stemming from overgrazing of livestock and intensive agricultural practices, that overextend the local water supply. In some of these areas, the wall?s height has been reduced from six meters to two or three. Flash floods, another result of the desertification and its destruction of all ground cover, also threaten the wall?s structural integrity by gouging out its base. Additionally, the extinction of most vegetation in the area has caused those who still live here to seek out non-organic materials for modern construction, including pieces of the Great Wall." (Cyark) | |
| Keoladeo National Park | ||
| Mogao Caves | Desertification | |
| Taj Mahal | ||
| Timbuktu | In 1990 was placed on the "WHS in danger" list because of the encroachment of desert sands |
Suggestions?
Do you know of another WHS we could connect to 'Threatened' by Drought or Desertification?
A connection should:
- Not be "self evident"
- Link at least 3 different sites
- Not duplicate or merely subdivide the "Category" assignment already identified on this site.
- Add some knowledge or insight (whether significant or trivial!) about WHS for the users of this site
- Be explained, with reference to a source