World Heritage Sites are recognised for their unparalleled beauty, global significance and/or biological diversity and the important economic, social and environmental benefits they provide to people. They are a source of inspiration and contribute to human well-being.  However, almost half of all natural World Heritage Sites across the globe are threatened by industrial activities and large infrastructure developments, which may cause irreversible damage to the outstanding universal value of these sites.

The economic and social costs of natural disasters are escalating, and the insurance protection gap is widening. Protecting World Heritage Sites through their core business activities has been unclear to insurers. However, in July 2018, insurers, insurance market bodies and key industry stakeholders from around the world signed the first-ever insurance industry statement to protect World Heritage Sites and the first guide has been produced to help the global insurance industry protect these precious sites.

The guide shows that collaboration is essential and highlights the increasingly important role that the industry needs to play in protecting World Heritage Sites. It is a result of a partnership between UNEP FI’s Principles for Sustainable Insurance Initiative (PSI), WWF, and the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Centre. It is a call to action for insurers around the world to join the global effort to protect the priceless and irreplaceable assets that make up our World Heritage for present and future generations.

Download report here.

Find out more about about the statement of commitment to World Heritage Sites and related documents and events here.