UNESCO’s Tentative List of World Heritage
Why it matters?
Seven Natural Heritage Sites from India Added to UNESCO’s Tentative List of World Heritage
What you should know?
UNESCO World Heritage Sites
Convention: 1972 World Heritage convention. India joined it in 1977.
Recent addition: Maratha Military Landscapes of India.
Tentative List: Inclusion in the Tentative List is a prerequisite for any site to be nominated for the World Heritage List.
Natural sites added to tentative list
Deccan Traps at Panchgani and Mahabaleshwar, Maharashtra:
Home to some of the best-preserved and studied lava flows in the world
Location: Within the Koyna Wildlife Sanctuary which is already a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Geological Heritage of St. Mary’s Island Cluster, Karnataka:
Geological snapshot from around 85 million years ago.
Meghalayan Age Caves:
Particularly the Mawmluh Cave, serves as the global reference point for the Meghalayan Age in the Holocene Epoch.
Naga Hill Ophiolite:
These hills represent oceanic crust uplifted onto continental plates, offering deep insights into tectonic processes.
Erra Matti Dibbalu (Red Sand Hills), Andhra Pradesh:
Showcase unique coastal geomorphological features that reveal Earth’s climatic history.
Natural Heritage of Tirumala Hills, Andhra Pradesh:
Featuring the Eparchaean Unconformity, represents over 1.5 billion years of Earth’s history.
Varkala Cliffs, Kerala:
Consists of natural springs and striking erosional landforms.