Refined Risk Assessment of Geological Hazards in World Natural Heritage Sites: An Empirical Analysis of the Libo-Huanjiang Karst World Natural Heritage Site

Abstract

Refined risk assessment of geological hazards is vital for disaster prevention and loss reduction. World Natural Heritage Sites are Earth’s most precious natural assets, yet research on refined geological hazard risk assessment from the perspective of heritage conservation and management is scarce. Taking the Libo-Huanjiang Karst World Natural Heritage Site as the study area, this paper discusses an assessment method focusing on protecting its Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) and draws three conclusions: ① The risk pattern features local high concentration and overall low risk: extremely high-risk areas account for 2.32% (sporadic in the northwest), low-risk areas 68.29% (covering the core zone), and high/medium-risk areas concentrate in the west with developed faults and intense human activities. ② It clarifies the non-linear synergistic mechanism of susceptibility-hazard-vulnerability, with stratum lithology, distance to roads and water systems as core drivers, and low vulnerability acting as an ecological buffer. ③ It correlates risk patterns with heritage protection, verifying the overlap between high-risk areas and key karst landscapes, and defines key prevention zones. The results support risk management and heritage protection, providing a replicable reference for similar World Natural Heritage Sites globally.