News Challenge | The UK's World Heritage Crisis

Stonehenge may be next UK site to lose world heritage status

The UK is eroding its global reputation for conserving its “unparalleled” historic assets, culture bodies have warned , with Stonehenge expected to be next in line to lose its coveted World Heritage status after Liverpool.

erode (v.) erosion

unparalleled (adj.) unprecedented, unparalleled

coveted (adj.) coveted, coveted

World Heritage (n.)

Liverpool (n.)

 Cultural groups say Britain is destroying its world-renowned reputation for preserving historic sites. After Liverpool, Stonehenge may also be included in the expulsion list.

The UN's heritage body has told ministers that Wiltshire's cherished stone circle will be placed on its “in danger” list – the precursor to it being stripped of world heritage status – if a £1.7bn road tunnel goes ahead as planned.

Wiltshire (n.) Wiltshire (South West England)

precursor (n.)

strip (v.) to remove

 Wiltshire's precious Stonehenge remains will be added to the endangered list as a pre-emption policy if the $1.7 billion tunnelling project goes ahead as planned.

Heritage bodies said on Friday that Unesco would throw a “harsher spotlight” on the UK's other 31 listed sites, which include the Palace of Westminster and Kew Gardens, after Liverpool became only the third place in nearly 50 years to be stripped of its world heritage status.

the Palace of Westminster (n.) Westminster Abbey

Kew Gardens (n.)

 Liverpool is one of the only three sites to be delisted in the past 50 years. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization will pay more attention to the other 31 world heritage sites in the UK, including Westminster Palace and Kew Gardens.

Unesco strips Liverpool of its world heritage status

Liverpool has been stripped of its coveted world heritage status after Unesco blamed years of development for an “irreversible loss” to the historic value of its Victorian docks.

irreversible (adj.) irreversible

docks (n.)

 The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization has condemned Liverpool for the irreversible damage to its Victorian wharf and removed it from the World Heritage List.