PARIS, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- While covering less than 1 percent of the Earth's surface, areas protected under the World Heritage program of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) are home to 20 percent of all mapped species and thus contribute greatly to preserving biodiversity, according to a new study the organization presented on Thursday.
In a joint statement with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the UNESCO said that more than 75,000 species of plants and over 30,000 species of mammals, birds, fishes, reptiles and amphibians reside within World Heritage sites, which enjoy the highest level of international protection under the World Heritage Convention.
"These sites are estimated to protect over 20,000 threatened species, including up to one-third of all elephants, tigers and pandas, and at least one-tenth of great apes, lions and rhinos," they said in the assessment report, adding that World Heritage sites have also become the last line of defense for some species on the brink of extinction.
The organizations encourage their member states to prioritize World Heritage sites in their national biodiversity strategies and action plans, since "they are key to moving the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) into action."
"These 1,157 sites are not only historically and culturally outstanding, they are also critical to the preservation of the diversity of life on Earth, maintaining essential ecosystem services, and addressing climate disruption," said UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay.
