General information on the IUCN World Heritage Outlook website is available in the three official languages of IUCN (English, French and Spanish), as well as Arabic, thanks to the generous support of the Arab Regional Centre for World Heritage (ARC-WH).

Conservation Outlook Assessments are initially produced in English, French or Spanish. To make the system more useful, we are starting to produce other language versions of Conservation Outlook Assessments wherever feasible.

IUCN is able to review feedback on assessments submitted in Arabic, English, French, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish. We may also be able to review information submitted in other languages, but please contact us at worldheritageoutlook [at] iucn [dot] org (worldheritageoutlook[at]iucn[dot]org) before submitting information.

You can access the assessments on this website by exploring the interactive map on the homepage, or through the explore sites page, where you can narrow down results using filters.

The filtered search allows you to search the Conservation Outlook Assessments by site, region, criteria of Outstanding Universal Value, rating, threat, international designations, ecosystem realm and benefits.

Each site page contains a summary and a detailed version of the assessment. This information can be used to identify and replicate success, and draw attention to conservation needs.

Periodic Reporting is undertaken approximately every eight years by States Parties to the World Heritage Convention and is a self-assessment, in consultation with stakeholders, of how the State Party applies the World Heritage Convention, whether the values of World Heritage sites within the State Party are maintained over time, and any changing circumstances. Periodic reporting takes place on a regional basis during each eight year cycle.

The IUCN World Heritage Outlook is an independent assessment, produced by IUCN in consultation with stakeholders, and is updated every three-five years. Unlike Periodic Reporting, all regions are handled at once, providing a global assessment for all natural World Heritage sites at a given point in time. Where information is available through Periodic Reporting, it is used among other sources for the preparation of Conservation Outlook Assessments.

The most important goal of the IUCN World Heritage Outlook is to promote proactive conservation actions to help improve the outlook for all natural World Heritage sites. This can be achieved by recognizing and replicating successful conservation measures, and by identifying the most pressing conservation issues facing each site and the actions needed to address them. This information can be used to develop conservation projects on the ground, identify capacity building needs and advocate for more support to World Heritage sites.

In 2016 a first set of Outlook Partnerships were launched with conservation organisations working to take advantage of the knowledge provided by the IUCN World Heritage Outlook and translate it into action on the ground for sites of conservation concern. Through establishing site-specific partnerships with the Outlook Partners, IUCN aims to raise the conservation prospects of natural World Heritage sites that need it most. The objective is to develop initiatives and projects, collaboratively with Outlook Partners, to help address the main challenges that these sites are facing and improve the effectiveness of their conservation.

>> Find out more about partners to the IUCN World Heritage Outlook

Conservation Outlook Assessments also compile information on ecosystem services and benefits provided by natural World Heritage sites. A global overview of these benefits is available through an interactive map, which is complemented by a set of case-studies. You can also download the report "The Benefits of Natural World Heritage".

The IUCN World Heritage Outlook is updated every three to five years resulting in updated Conservation Outlook Assessments and a new edition of the global report. Outlook was launched in 2014 and has been updated in 2017 and 2020. The newest key results, Conservation Outlook Assessments and the IUCN World Heritage Outlook 4 global report will be available on this website in October 2025. 

Each Conservation Outlook Assessment has an overall rating. There are five rating categories:

a.    "Good"

The site's values, conveyed by their key attributes, are in good condition and are likely to be maintained for the foreseeable future, provided that current conservation measures are maintained.

b.    "Good with some concerns"

While some concerns exist, with minor additional conservation measures the site’s values, conveyed by their key attributes, are likely to be essentially maintained over the long-term.

c.    "Significant concern"

The site’s values, conveyed by their key attributes, are threatened and/or showing signs of deterioration. Significant additional conservation measures are needed to maintain and/or restore attributes over the medium to long-term.

d.    "Critical"

The site’s values, conveyed by their key attributes, are severely threatened and/or deteriorating. Immediate large-scale additional conservation measures are needed to maintain and/or restore the key attributes over the short to medium-term or the heritage values may be lost.

e.    "Data deficient"

Available evidence is insufficient to draw a conclusion.

>> More on the assessment ratings

Consultation is indispensable to the development of the IUCN World Heritage Outlook. Government authorities and site managers are invited to contribute information for inclusion in Conservation Outlook Assessments, as well as fact check, provide updates and comments on final draft assessments before they are finalised and published online. We invite site managers who are not already in touch with IUCN to contact us at worldheritageoutlook [at] iucn [dot] org (worldheritageoutlook[at]iucn[dot]org).

Site managers can get involved by filling out a consultation form and also by providing any additional information on sites to IUCN. This includes supporting documentation such as new management plans, newsletters, management effectiveness assessments and monitoring reports, for example. In the future we will also aim to produce local language translations of assessments, wherever possible, to assist in local consultation and feedback.

>> Contact us here

A wide range of stakeholders are consulted during each Conservation Outlook Assessment update, including: site managers and stakeholders involved in the management of sites (e.g. IUCN Member organisations, government authorities, non-governmental organisations, community groups, and international agencies); IUCN Commission members (in particular the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas and the IUCN Species Survival Commission); the IUCN Secretariat, and researchers and the scientific community. All information provided through consultation is carefully reviewed by experts in order to produce each Conservation Outlook Assessment. The IUCN World Heritage Outlook is open to all for input, and we welcome any feedback that you may be able to provide to support the accuracy of site information. If you want to submit feedback on a Conservation Outlook Assessment for a site, please contact us via this feedback form.

>> Learn more about the consultation process

Conservation Outlook Assessments are desk-based and are undertaken by experts based on the best data available, following a standard methodology.

Each completed Conservation Outlook Assessment goes through a rigorous review process before it is given final approval by the IUCN World Heritage Panel, and published online. Factual corrections can be integrated into assessments at any time; if you would like to submit a factual correction, please contact us via this feedback form.