Model Answer

Introduction

India hosts several UNESCO World Heritage natural sites, including the Western Ghats, Sundarbans, and Manas National Park, which are vital for ecological balance and biodiversity. However, the IUCN World Heritage Outlook 4 (2025) categorizes them as areas of significant concern, reflecting deteriorating conservation trends.

Body

1. Major Factors Responsible

   • Climate Change: Rising temperatures, altered rainfall patterns, and sea-level rise have intensified stress on fragile ecosystems—especially threatening the Sundarbans' mangrove cover.
   • Infrastructure and Development Projects: Expansion of hydropower, roads, and railways in the Western Ghats has fragmented habitats and displaced species like the Nilgiri Tahr.
   • Invasive Species: Proliferation of eucalyptus and acacia in native forests disrupts ecological balance and reduces endemic diversity.
   • Tourism Pressure: Unregulated tourism has increased pollution, waste generation, and human-animal conflict in sensitive zones.
   • Resource Extraction and Pollution: Illegal logging, unsustainable fishing, and heavy metal contamination in the Sundarbans have degraded habitats and water quality.

2. Measures for Sustainable Management

   • Strict Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) before new projects in eco-sensitive zones.
   • Community-based conservation empowering local populations as stakeholders.
   • Promotion of sustainable tourism and banning unsustainable infrastructure.
   • Restoration of native flora and control of invasive species.
   • Strengthening climate adaptation plans under the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

Conclusion/Way Forward

India's World Heritage sites are not just natural treasures but global ecological assets. Conservation must evolve from reactive protection to proactive ecosystem management—balancing development with long-term sustainability.