ICOMOS and Europa Nostra have announced a new collaboration to develop a European Heritage Green Paper on the issue of cultural heritage and climate change. The European Green Deal (EGD) and Cultural Heritage are interconnected and one is essential to each other success. In fact, the EGD aims at bringing the temperature goal at 1.5°C, which is a limit to global warming crucial to safeguard many heritage sites and avoid, for instance, their deterioration or the loss of biodiversity in natural sites. Studies have shown that half of Europe’s alpine glaciers could disappear by the end of the 21st century due to temperature rise, while soil deterioration in southern Europe under warmer and drier conditions will lead to desertification, affecting also archaeological and other heritage sites.

Many dimensions of the EGD, such as building renovation, circular economy or farm to fork and biodiversity, are closely linked to cultural aspects. Cultural heritage has the power to connect people to places, fostering a sense of belonging and community. It is crucial to develop a connection with our immediate environment, but also with our planet as a whole. Our heritage inspires creativity and innovation, which can be and are already being mobilised to tackle key societal questions, such as climate change. Finally, cultural heritage and traditional knowledge can boost communities resilience, thus contributing to a more sustainable future.

The European Green Deal needs cultural heritage to succeed. Yet art, culture and heritage – none of these words currently appear in the EGD. This project aims to help place Europe s culture and cultural heritage at the heart of the EGD.

Methodology for the Project

In 2019, ICOMOS issued a report entitled The Future of Our Pasts: Engaging Cultural Heritage in Climate Action, outlining a positive, policy-based vision of the role of cultural heritage in responding to climate change.

The European Heritage Green Paper will correlate the relevant competencies of cultural heritage set out in the ICOMOS report to the topics of the EGD. The intention of the European Heritage Green Paper is to discuss heritage using the logic and vocabulary of climate action and climate science.

In the past months, the Expert Advisor Group and the Steering Committee for the European Heritage Green Paper have been formed and convened to discuss the project. The Expert Advisor Group is composed of several experts in various topics, such as renewable energy, circular economy, building renovation, clean energy, just transition and smart mobility, to mention a few. The members of the groups are (in alphabetical order): Antonia Gravagnuolo, Keith Jones, Johanna Leissner, Ian Lumley, Valeria Marcolin and Jermina Stanojev. The Steering Committee of the European Heritage Green Paper is composed of experts from Europa Nostra and ICOMOS, namely (in alphabetical order) José Alonso, Graham Bell, Guy Clausse, Stefan Simon and Paolo Vitti. Their work and consultation have been essential to finalise the Outline of the European Heritage Green Paper. The Outline covers the main ideas that will be presented in the Green Paper document, highlighting key ways in which cultural heritage can contribute to Europe’s green transformation.

Resources

• https://youtu.be/-uYsr6dRPGE
• https://fb.watch/2b9dnlGqUr/