Climate change presents new threat to Philippines’ UNESCO rice terraces
The UNESCO-listed Ifugao rice terraces in the Philippines face increasing climate threats, with Super Typhoon Fung-wong in November 2025 causing landslides that damaged 2.2 hectares and affected 150 farmers. A global study found 80 percent of UNESCO World Heritage Sites experience climate-induced stress, with sites in low and middle-income countries receiving the least conservation support.
The Ifugao rice terraces in Batad, Philippines, represent centuries of agricultural heritage now threatened by intensifying extreme weather. Located 1,100 metres above sea level, the terraced landscape has sustained the Ifugao people through traditional farming practices and cultural rituals. However, recent climate events have inflicted visible damage on this UNESCO World Heritage Site, with collapsed earth and boulders scattered across the fields.
Super Typhoon Fung-wong struck in November 2025, triggering a landslide that destroyed one of the ancient irrigation canals and damaged approximately 2.2 hectares of rice fields. The disaster killed two local residents and disrupted livelihoods for around 150 farmers. This incident follows earlier landslides in 2011, 2023, and 2025, establishing a troubling pattern of climate-related destruction in the region.
According to a scientific study published in Nature in August 2025, approximately 80 percent of UNESCO World Heritage Sites globally face climate-induced stress. The research highlights a critical disparity: sites located in low and middle-income countries receive substantially less conservation funding, leaving them particularly vulnerable to harsh climatic conditions. Tropical monsoon regions like the Philippines experience record-breaking heatwaves, extended droughts, and sudden intense rainfall—conditions that directly threaten the structural integrity of the terraces.
The rice terraces require consistent soil moisture to maintain stability, but recent dry spells have created deep cracks that increase vulnerability to landslides and erosion. Local advocates, including the Save the Ifugao Terraces Movement, emphasize that climate change is fundamentally aggravating preservation challenges. With forecasts of a Super El Niño phenomenon expected to drive more extreme weather patterns, the Ifugao community faces mounting pressure to protect their ancestral heritage site amid limited government resources.
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