Why Western Ghats are classified as natural site of ‘significant concern’ 

Recently, serious concerns were also raised over India’s ecologically vital landscapes, including the Western Ghats, in the World Heritage Outlook 4 (2025) report released by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) last month. 

The report, which assesses 271 natural and mixed World Heritage sites, categorises the Western Ghats and two national parks in India – Assam’s Manas national park and West Bengal’s Sundarbans national park – as being of “significant concern”. The report categorises the natural sites as “good”, “good with some concerns”, “significant concern”, and “critical”.

Western Ghats are among the four of the world’s 36 biodiversity hotspots located in India. The other three biodiversity hotspots are the Himalayas, the Indo-Burma region, and the Sundaland. Older than the Himalaya mountains, the 1,600 km long Western Ghats mountain chain was recognised by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) as one of the world’s eight hotspots of biological diversity in 2018. 

Let’s analyse the major threats highlighted in the World Heritage Outlook report, the significance of the Western Ghats, and India’s effort to protect it. But first, let’s understand World Heritage Sites and the process of their identification. 

What are World Heritage Sites?

World heritage sites are sites of ‘Outstanding Universal Value’ to humanity. The 1972 Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage is the primary instrument that provides for the designation and conservation of World Heritage Sites. The convention was adopted by UNESCO and formally came into effect in 1975 after 20 countries ratified it. 

The document classifies the World Heritage sites into three categories: natural heritage sites, cultural heritage sites, and mixed sites. The UNESCO World Heritage Committee is the primary body that is responsible for administering the convention.

The selection of world heritage sites follows a well-defined and rigorous process, and is guided by scientific evaluation by IUCN (for natural sites) and International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) (for cultural sites). The final decision is made by the World Heritage Committee, which is composed of representatives from member countries. 

To be designated as a World Heritage site, a site must possess ‘Outstanding Universal Value’ and meet at least one of the selection criteria provided under the operational guidelines of the Convention. As the convention set out the duties of state parties, the designation requires stronger legal and physical protection of the sites.

There are a total of 1,248 World Heritage Sites in the world, with 44 of them located in India (including 36 cultural, 7 natural, 1 mixed). The Western Ghats is one of the natural sites in India, which was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2012.

As of September 2025, a total of 69 sites from India are under consideration by UNESCO, comprising 49 cultural, 17 natural, and 3 mixed heritage properties.

Western Ghats: home to diverse ecosystems, threatened species

The Western Ghats, also known as the Shayadari hills, hold immense ecological and biodiversity value, making them one of the most critical natural assets of India and the World. The region has outstanding universal value due to its exceptional biodiversity, endemism, and its role in maintaining vital ecological and climatic processes. 

It stretches along the western coast of the Indian peninsula, spanning six states – Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu. Ecologically, the Western Ghats serve as a crucial climatic regulator for peninsular India. Acting as a barrier to the South-West monsoon, the range ensures high supporting lush forests and numerous rivers that sustain millions of people. 

They also hold immense genetic resources, including wild relatives of many economically important crops and spices such as pepper, cardamom, and cinnamon. The Ghats are also home to diverse ecosystems, including tropical evergreen forests, grasslands, Myristica swamps, and the distinctive shola forest. These ecosystems harbour a wide variety of flora and fauna, many of which are endemic. 

Western Ghats are the habitat for several threatened species, such as lion-tailed macaque, Nilgiri Tahr, and tiger. Around 325 species in the region are listed as threatened in the IUCN Red List, out of which 129 are classified as Vulnerable, 145 as Endangered, and 51 as Critically Endangered. Thus, the Western Ghats hold significance not only for India but for the entire world, serving as a global biodiversity treasure.

What are the major threats highlighted in the report?

According to the IUCN World Heritage Outlook 4 report, there are four biggest threats to the loss of habitats and species in South Asia, namely climate change, tourism activities, invasive alien species, and roads.

Climate change is red-flagged as the most prevalent threat to natural heritage sites in Asia. Climate impacts such as rising temperatures, changing rainfall patterns, and melting glaciers are accelerating biodiversity loss and altering ecosystems.

Tourism-related activities continue to be the second biggest threat. Unregulated tourism increases waste generation, disturbs wildlife, and puts pressure on natural resources, particularly in ecologically sensitive regions. 

The report also highlights the growing problem of invasive alien species as the third most significant threat. These species disrupt native ecosystems, reduce biodiversity and affect the regeneration capacity of forests.

Also, for the first time, the infrastructure development, such as road and railway expansion, has been listed among the threats. Additionally, anthropogenic pressures, such as encroachment, logging, waste disposal, and agricultural expansion, continue to degrade habitats even within protected areas. 

Overall, the report reflects a concerning trend: localised human threats are now compounded by large-scale systematic pressures, especially climate change and infrastructure development, which collectively endanger the ecological integrity of Asia’s most valuable natural sites, including the Western Ghats.

Efforts by the Indian government to protect the Western Ghats

To address the challenges related to ecological fragility and conservation of Western Ghats, India has adopted a combination of policy frameworks, legal measures, and institutional initiatives aimed at balancing development needs with ecological sustainability.

At the policy level, the National Forest Policy, 1988, the National Environment Policy, 2006, and the National Wildlife Action Plan guide forest conservation, biodiversity protection, and sustainable development. 

On the legal front, the government has enacted the Wildlife Protection Act, under which many parts of the Western Ghats have been declared as protected areas, such as National Parks, Wildlife Sanctuaries, Conservation Reserves, Tiger reserves, etc. These legal safeguards help minimise anthropogenic activities to protect wildlife and plant species. 

To protect the forests and to curb deforestation, the Indian Forest Act of 1927, and Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, 1980, have been enacted. These laws prohibit the conversion of forest land into non-forest land without the permission of the central government.

Moreover, to assess the negative impact of anthropogenic activities in the Western Ghats, the Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change (MoEFCC) formed two expert panels – the Madhav Gadgil committee and the Kasturirangan committee. 

Based on their reports, a draft notification was issued in 2024 under the Environment Protection Act, 1986, to declare an area of around 56,000 sq. km spread across six states of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as ecologically sensitive area (ESA). 

The ESA is buffer areas demarcated around protected areas to minimise the negative impact of anthropogenic activities such as mining, hydropower projects, etc. However, the draft notification was opposed due to its potential negative impact on local livelihoods and development. It has not been implemented.

Protecting the Western Ghats, a national necessity

The Outlook 4 offers a timely reminder that the Western Ghats are under increasing threat and require urgent and coordinated action. Despite the enactment of laws and policy, weak implementation remains the main concern. 

Also, the increasing anthropogenic pressure needs to be controlled. For this, the timely implementation of the draft ESA notification would be a decisive step. However, it must be based on participatory decision-making by the government and the local bodies to balance conservation and community livelihoods. Such an approach would harmonize environmental protection with responsible economic activities. 

In addition to this, integrating scientific monitoring, climate adaptation strategies, and community-led conservation would strengthen resilience against climate change and habitat degradation. Protecting the Western Ghats is not merely an environmental priority but a national necessity, vital for the environment, biodiversity and climate stability.

Post read questions

Discuss the ecological significance of the Western Ghats and their role in regulating the climate of Peninsular India.

The Western Ghats are recognised as a global biodiversity hotspot. Examine the factors contributing to their high endemism and biodiversity.

Analyse the threats faced by the Western Ghats and suggest measures for their conservation in light of increasing developmental pressures.

Highlight the importance of the Western Ghats in preserving genetic resources of economically important crops and spices.

Analyse the role of the Environment Protection Act, 1986 in addressing ecological concerns in biodiversity hotspots like the Western Ghats.

(Renuka is a Doctoral researcher at Himachal Pradesh National Law University, Shimla.)

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