Located in the Atlantic Ocean off the west coast of Ireland, the monastic site of Sceilg Mhichíl characterises the extremes of early Christian monasticism. Its extreme isolation has resulted in exceptional levels of preservation including well-preserved access steps, a monastery, a remote hermitage and other monastic structures. In addition, the island embodies the establishment of lighthouses on Ireland’s coast in the 1820s – a project that was particularly challenging along the Atlantic seaboard. Sceilg Mhichíl is also one of Ireland’s most important sites for breeding seabirds, both for the diversity of the species and the size of the colonies it supports. Its extreme location off Ireland’s Atlantic west coast leaves the heritage of the island particularly exposed to the impact of extreme weather.

Angkor is a living Word Heritage site in Cambodia’s northern province of Siem Reap. It extends over a large area, contains 112 villages and is famous for its spectacular remains of the different capitals of the Khmer Empire, from the 9th to the 15th century. It is also known for its incredible hydraulic structures including reservoirs, canals, dykes and drainage basins built, not only for daily life and agriculture purposes, but also to assure the stability of the temples. Angkor is a truly unique collection of archaeological sites, monuments, landscapes and natural environments where communities continue to live and farm. During the last few decades, it has become a major international tourist destination welcoming people from all over the world yet is threatened by changing weather patterns which, combined with population growth, and putting strain on existing water management systems.

The Khalifatabad Mosque City of Bagerhat is located in the southwestern part of Bangladesh and holds great significance in Islamic architecture and spiritual culture.The city was founded in the 15th century by Khan Jahan Ali, a revered Muslim saint and ruler. The site consists of numerous mosques, tombs, mausoleums, and bridges that display unique architectural styles as well as complex water supply and drainage systems, cisterns and reservoirs. Many of these buildings remain in use for both religious and non-religious purposes, preserving the traditional practices and promoting social and communal harmony. Bagerhat demonstrates a thorough historical knowledge of planning techniques and a strong desire for spatial organisation in a challenging environment, yet rising sea levels in the Bay of Bengal and increased precipitation are threatening to worsen the deterioration of these important structures.

The port, fortresses and group of monuments in Cartagena de India represent some of the most extreme examples of fortifications in South America from the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. Situated on the northern coast of Columbia on the Caribbean Sea, Cartagena has played a central role in global history as a trading centre and a key site in the European power struggle for control in the ‘New World’. Aside from the impressive fortifications, the site also contains palaces and grand residences organised into three historic neighbourhoods. It remains a living city with a vibrant population who live and work in the historic city. Rising sea levels and other climatic phenomena are irreparably affecting not only the heritage sites but also the intangible cultural traditions of the communities that inhabit the territory.

The Tijuana Estuary is the largest intact coastal wetland remaining in the region. It is a place where the United States, Mexico, and the indigenous Kumeyaay nations come together along an international border. The estuary is in the U.S. portion of the Tijuana River Watershed, which includes Border Field State Park and the Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve. Climate impacts are experienced disproportionately by marginalized communities on both sides of the border, and these occur in the face of stressors such as sedimentation, flooding, marine debris, and degraded water quality. These threaten natural and cultural resources, and also compromise recreational, aesthetic, and sense-of-place ecosystem services. The Tijuana Estuary represents a space for developing solutions to these challenges - solutions that involve community collaboration and the human dimension of conservation and restoration, enabling conditions for climate resilience in social-ecological systems.

Nan Madol is a settlement complex built atop artificial islands extended across a shallow reef platform within the fringing reef of the adjacent small island of Temwen. On the islets are monumental stone structures, some with walls some 6-7 meters high. The islets are constructed of basalt and coral boulders topped by lengths of prismatic/columnar basalt placed in header and stretcher patterns that surround tombs, residential complexes, and sites for sacred/ceremonial activities. The megalithic construction of the site took place from AD 1200-1300 to AD 1500-1600, and involved the small island populations in the mining, moving and maneuvering of an estimated 2,000 tons of volcanic rock. The site is at risk from a range of factors including the siltation of waterways and incursion of vegetation.

Levuka was the first colonial capital of Fiji and the seat of British rule on the islands from the late 19th century. From 1820 onwards, the port became an important and vibrant commercial centre complete with warehouses, stores, religious buildings and schools. The design of the town was strongly influenced by indigenous traditions which were integrated into colonial designs and standards. The site represents a unique and globally important point of interchange between cultures and remains a highly authentic and largely unchanged example of a colonial port town still inhabited by the local community. As an island nation, Fiji is threatened by rising sea levels and coastal erosion.

The Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras represented an outstanding example of human-environmental harmony and interaction. Located in the Philippine Cordillera mountain range on the northern island of Luzon, the site includes five outstanding examples of terraced landscapes where the local community have been growing and harvesting rice for hundreds of years. Built and maintained by the Ifugao, the terraces and wider landscape are at the centre of a vibrant and rich cultural tradition which includes both tangible and intangible cultural expressions. It is a living landscape, rich in history and tradition. The terraces are under threat from a range of factors including increased precipitation and storminess combined with social and economic pressures on the local communities.

Petra is a unique and superlative relic landscape. Founded by the Nabateans, the site was later occupied by both the Romans and the Byzantines. Best known for its outstanding monuments carved in stone including the great treasury, the site also contains sophisticated water harvesting and management systems which were developed by the Nabateans which allowed their civilization to thrive in such a challenging environment. The site was an important regional crossroads where eastern and western traditions met and is now visited by nearly 1 million people a year. The site is vulnerable to erratic weather and flash floods in particular which pose a threat to both tourists and the iconic monuments and landscape.

Koutammakou is a cultural landscape of 50,000 hectares on the border between Benin and Togo. It is made up of scattered turreted houses called sikien, cultivable spaces, sacred groves, ponds and rocks, century-old trees, waterways and landscaped hills. The turreted houses are built using material from the local environment and act as houses, defensive structures and religious centres for the Batammariba who continue to inhabit the site. As a living landscape, the pursuit of harmony between people and nature underpins the Batammariba world view and this is represented by rich intangible customs and traditions which continue to be practised at the site. The site, its inhabitants and its rich culture are being impacted by flooding, severe storms, heat waves, extreme rainfall and drought.