Selection Criteria for UNESCO World Heritage Sites

In order to get accredited in the UNESCO World Heritage Site, one site much cover one of the potential selection criteria out of ten. Also, it is essential to fall under the category of universal value of the world. This holds a lot of value on the country end describing a famous monument as the world site. The criteria of a total of ten points are divided into two parts where there is a total of six criteria that help in describing cultural site whereas the other four helps in describing natural sites. Here is the proper flow of all the criteria as per the value.

Natural Sites Criteria: In this part, the sites that are covered up by nature itself are covered up. The change can be for any natural cause or phenomenon.

1. Natural beauty or phenomena – It is the criteria that include superlative phenomena that occur in nature naturally with no human interruption. This can also include the setup where the natural beauty of an area is exceptional or importance of aesthetic. This is a major part that is considered while coming across any heritage while checking it.
2. Earth’s history – Another point is related to the history of the planet Earth. The heritage must be a vital part of history or have a major stage. Verbal communication or story about the place is usually not considered by UNESCO and they require proper historical records that present the life on the property. Also, the geographical process that is currently going along with landforms development. It will also consider the physiographic and geomorphic features.
3. The significant processes on the ecological and biological end – In this part, the major part of evolution is covered up. Here, the development or any sort of evolution in the fresh, terrestrial water, marine and coastal ecosystem, and animal and plants communities are considered. The ecological and biological part has a huge value in such a thing that ensures that development is maintained.
4. Biodiversity on the natural habitat end – In this, the significant and important part of the natural habitats is covered up. The biological diversity in terms of in-situ conservation is covered up including species that are threatened. These type of species have universal value on an amazing level from conservation and science point of view.

Cultural Sites Criteria: In this, the historic belief or cultural sites that have significance in historic times are added up.

• Human Artistic Genius level – In the cultural sites, the major part that is included in is the creativity or an artistic nature of human. This is considered as the masterpiece that is developed by a human being.
• Value interchange – This will contain the point of interchanging the overall values in the human criteria. The change can be with the change of time or evolvement on cultural area end. This can be monumental arts, technology or architecture development, landscape design or work in the town-planning.
• Civilization cultural belief – The belief that there was an exception of a culture on a particular area of land. In this, the unique testimony on the civilization or cultural tradition that might have existed or lived among us. The history or proofs found are used to be sure that there is a link of the place to the historic value before it disappeared completely.
• Human history significance – The proof of any of the architectural, building or even technological ensemble that might point out to the rich history. It will also contain the landscape that holds value in human history and comes under a significant stage.
• Human settlement on traditional end – It is essential for the heritage to be an outstanding addition to the world. However, human settlement on the traditional end holds a lot of value in it that can be sea-use or land-use. The settlement must show the human-environment interaction or even represent culture(s). This is a top-notch value when the settlement is under the irreversible change and is extremely vulnerable with the impact.
• Universal significance event – Any heritage that is tangible or directly connected with the tradition that is still here or events along with belief or ideas with literary and artistic works holds a lot of value. This represents the universal signification on an outstanding level due to the creativity end. However, this criterion is usually used as a conjunction part that is added up with the other essential criteria to make sure that nothing is lost to it.

These are the major points that are covered up in order to be part of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. If any one of the criteria is covered up then it is listed out in the overall list as per their ranking. So, these are the main criteria that help with the whole selection process.