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Why can exceptional natural beauty be a reason for UNESCO World Heritage designation?

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Ajanta Caves: reclining Buddha — World Heritage site Reclining Buddha statue, Ajanta Caves, north-central Maharashtra state, India.

Exceptional natural beauty is a formal criterion for UNESCO World Heritage designation because it identifies sites that possess "outstanding universal value" to humanity.12

Under the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, natural heritage sites are selected based on specific standards. A site may be designated if it contains natural phenomena that are considered rare, unique, superlative, or of outstanding beauty. By protecting these areas, the international community ensures the preservation of Earth's most remarkable natural treasures for future generations.21

Beyond aesthetic beauty, natural sites are also recognized for:
* Furnishing outstanding examples of Earth’s geologic processes or record of life.2
* Providing excellent examples of ongoing biological and ecological evolutionary processes.2
* Serving as critical habitats for rare or endangered species or maintaining exceptional biodiversity.2

This framework promotes global cooperation to safeguard these irreplaceable environments from destruction or degradation.1