Why in News:

• The English city of Liverpool has been removed from UNESCO’s list of world heritage sites after the United Nations’ cultural agency found new buildings, including a football stadium, undermining the attractiveness of its Victorian docks.

Why is it significant?

• Liverpool is only the third place to be removed from the prestigious list.
• The only other sites stripped previously of the title are a wildlife sanctuary in Oman in 2007 after poaching and habitat loss and the Dresden Elbe valley in Germany in 2009 when a four-lane motorway bridge was built over the river.

What are World Heritage sites?

• A World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by UNESCO for its special cultural or physical significance. 
• The list of World Heritage Sites is maintained by the international ‘World Heritage Programme’, administered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee.
• The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) seeks to encourage the identification, protection and preservation of cultural and natural heritage around the world considered to be of outstanding value to humanity.
• This is embodied in an international treaty called the Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, adopted by UNESCO in 1972.
• India has 38 world heritage sites that include 30 Cultural properties, 7 Natural properties and 1 mixed site (Khangchendzonga National Park).

 Reference:

1. https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/unesco-strips-liverpool-of-its-world-heritage-status/article35446742.ece