ICOMOS and Climate Action - Some of our Activities
The ICOMOS Climate Change and Cultural Heritage was established in 2016 to respond to the growing threat posed by climate change to heritage sites. Since 2021, it has been focused on training, equipping and supporting the ICOMOS community to engage in meaningful and sustainable climate action. We have worked with many different partners and stakeholders around the world, some examples of which are provided below.
Building Capacities, Building Confidence
Surveys of the heritage sector indicate that knowledge and capacities are amongst the greatest barriers to climate action. The CAWG is committed to equipping the heritage sector with the knowledge and skills necessary for heritage professionals to take meaningful action. We are also part of the Preserving Legacies Project which aims to equip and train local communities in climate adaptation, and are collaborating with ICCROM, IUCN and the UNESCO World Heritage Centre in the development of a new toolkit for UNESCO World Heritage site managers as part of the World Heritage Leadership Program.
New Threats, New Tools - Understanding Climate Risk and Vulnerability
Climate change is not like other threats and will require us to rethink how we do some of our conservation work. The CAWG has been working with a wide range of partners to explore new tools to explore climate vulnerability at heritage sites including through the CVI Africa Project which aims to develop rapid and systematic approaches to understanding climate impacts.
Changing Minds and Policies
Climate change is challenging the foundations of our actions in both the heritage and wider scientific professions. Since 2016, members of the CAWG has been working with UNESCO on their recently ratified Policy Document on Climate Action for World Heritage. We were also the organizers of the first ever International Co-Sponsored Meeting on Culture, Heritage, and Climate Change which was a collaboration between ICOMOS, the IPCC and UNESCO designed to build new conversations and collaborations between the broad fields of culture, heritage, and climate change.
Stressing Urgency and Promoting Action - The Heritage on the Edge Project
Cultural heritage, and UNESCO World Heritage sites in particular, have a unique communicative power. The Heritage on the Edge Project was a collaboration between the CAWG, CyArk and Google Arts and Culture which tells the story of climate loss and resilience through the lens of five sites including Rapa Nui and The Old and New Towns of Edinburgh. Using innovative 3D technologies and interviews with local partners, the project allows users to experience the reality of climate change at one of these amazing sites.
