20 destinations to see before they disappear

21.07.2023 - 07:46 / roughguides.com / Charles Darwin

Millions of years old and home to over a third of planet Earth’s plant and animal species – plus some of the world’s last uncontacted tribes – the vast forest nicknamed the «Earth’s Lungs» is under serious threat from deforestation. Over the past four decades around 40 percent of the Amazon has been destroyed, primarily for mining, industrial agriculture and illegal logging.

© PARALAXIS/Shutterstock

The site of the first ever Olympic Games in 776 BC, the ancient city of Olympia has been inhabited since prehistoric times and is one of Greece’s top archaeological sites. In recent years, hot and dry summers have led to rampant wildfires that have scorched surrounding areas and encroached worryingly close to the ruins. With rising temperatures and lower rainfall in the area, ancient history buffs would be wise to visit sooner rather than later.

Greece Olympia, ancient ruins of the important Philippeion in Olympia, birthplace of the olympic games © Oleg Znamenskiy/Shutterstock

With 700 miles of hiking trails spanning alpine meadows and gorgeous lakes, Montana’s Glacier National Park is a favourite among outdoorsy locals and visitors. But, this rugged national park may soon be facing a name change. Of the 150 colossal glaciers that existed in the national park 100 years ago, only 25 remain today. Scientists have given the surviving glaciers a lifespan of just 15 years if the planet continues to warm at its current rate.

© Rawin Cheasagul/Shutterstock

Described by Charles Darwin as «a little world within itself», the Galápagos archipelago offers an overwhelming variety of flora and fauna, ranging from giant tortoises to the flightless cormorant. But change is afoot on these once-secluded islands. With a swelling population, four busy airports and a regular influx of cruise passengers the inevitable human wear-and-tear of the Gálapagos is well and truly underway, prompting debate about the ethics of visiting the islands.

Blue footed boobies with iguana, Galapagos © reisegraf.ch/Shutterstock

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Spanning six countries and responsible for nearly half of the world’s oxygen, the Congo Basin is one of the most important and yet vulnerable wilderness areas on the planet. Teeming with gorillas, elephants and buffalo across savannas, swamps and forests, the basin is one of the most biodiverse areas on the planet. Threatened by deforestation, mining and the illegal wildlife trade, environmentalists worry that a significant proportion of the forest’s plants and animals could disappear by 2040.

© Sergey Uryadnikov/Shutterstock

The ‘Floating City’ may soon lose its moniker. Not only has Venice been sinking on its wooden foundations (it subsided around 120mm during the twentieth century), it is also under threat