Significant riverine archaeological sites around the world are vulnerable to flooding associated ... more Significant riverine archaeological sites around the world are vulnerable to flooding associated with climate change. However, identifying sites most at risk is not straightforward. We critically review the parameters used in 22 published analyses of risk to riverine archaeology from climate change (ARRACC). Covering 17 countries globally, the ARRACC’s risk parameters are highly variable. Proximity to rivers and projected changes to extreme flood frequency are the most commonly employed. However, to be robust, future ARRACC should select from a wider range of hazard parameters, including channel mobility/type, erosion/sedimentation patterns, land use and engineering works, as well as parameters for site sensitivity to flooding and heritage significance. To assist in this, we propose a basic field survey for ARRACC, to be treated primarily as a conceptual checklist or as a starting point for a bespoke ARRACC method adapted for a particular river and the objectives of local stakeholde...
50 Years World Heritage Convention: Shared Responsibility – Conflict & Reconciliation
In 2007, the Policy Document on the Impacts of Climate Change on World Heritage Properties was ad... more In 2007, the Policy Document on the Impacts of Climate Change on World Heritage Properties was adopted by the World Heritage (WH) Committee, and a revised policy document, the Draft Policy Document on Climate Action for World Heritage, was released in 2021. An English word search on terms related to potential conflicts between WH and climate change was undertaken and utilised as a starting point for an exploration of developments over the 14 intervening years. Four themes were defined and explored, namely, mission, change, loss, and responsibility. In many cases of perceived conflict, professionals and policy makers have been actively working to find solutions. In others, there is the potential for developing new and creative approaches that will ensure the relevance of heritage in an uncertain future.
Globally, cultural heritage is on the front line of anthropogenic climate change. Therefore, it c... more Globally, cultural heritage is on the front line of anthropogenic climate change. Therefore, it could be argued that climate change should now be a primary lens through which cultural heritage conservation and management are viewed. We argue that addressing the growing and compounding risks and impacts of climate change requires a fundamental rethink and transformation of cultural heritage management and policy. In this article, we propose a climate‐smart cultural heritage (CSCH) approach that captures the notion that climate adaptation can be developed and implemented within the heritage sector to simultaneously reduce the impacts of changing climate and variability on tangible and intangible cultural heritage and provide co‐benefits for climate change mitigation while also enhancing human security at different spatial scales. The CSCH is an integrated approach to implementing forward‐looking and transformative cultural heritage management and policy and is not a new set of practic...
Climate change threatens archaeological sites and cultural landscapes globally. While to date, aw... more Climate change threatens archaeological sites and cultural landscapes globally. While to date, awareness and action around cultural heritage and climate change adaptation planning has focused on Europe and North America, in this article, the authors address adaptation policy and measures for heritage sites in low- and middle-income countries. Using a review of national adaptation plans, expert survey and five case studies, results show the varied climate change adaptation responses across four continents, their strengths and weaknesses, and the barriers to be addressed to ensure better integration of cultural heritage in climate change adaptation planning.
Journal of Cultural Heritage Management and Sustainable Development, 2020
PurposeIreland's Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act 2015 established the requireme... more PurposeIreland's Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act 2015 established the requirement for a National Adaptation Framework (NAF) composed of nine sectoral plans, of which Built and Archaeological Heritage is one. All the plans were written according to the six-step process outlined in Sectoral Planning Guidelines for Climate Change Adaptation produced by the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment (DCCAE, 2018) which is also the government department charged with coordinating the NAF. This article will summarise the application of the methodology to heritage resources in Ireland, the issues encountered and the results achieved.Design/methodology/approachThe plan was informed by existing research and incorporated expert, stakeholder and public consultation throughout the process. It also closely considered published plans from other sectors in order to aid consistency within the NAF and to ensure cross-cutting issues were highlighted.FindingsOf the m...
Cultural sites are particularly important to Indigenous peoples, their identity, cosmology and so... more Cultural sites are particularly important to Indigenous peoples, their identity, cosmology and sociopolitical traditions. The benefits of local control, and a lack of professional resources, necessitate the development of planning tools that support independent Indigenous cultural site adaptation. We devised and tested a methodology for non-heritage professionals to analyse options that address site loss, build site resilience and build local adaptive capacity. Indigenous rangers from Kakadu National Park and the Djelk Indigenous Protected Area, Arnhem Land, Australia, were engaged as fellow researchers via a participatory action research methodology. Rangers rejected coastal defences and relocating sites, instead prioritising routine use of a risk field survey, documentation of vulnerable sites using new digital technologies and widely communicating the climate change vulnerability of sites via a video documentary. Results support the view that rigorous approaches to cultural site ...
Background: Gradual changes in weathering rates and mechanisms are the barely visible impacts of ... more Background: Gradual changes in weathering rates and mechanisms are the barely visible impacts of climate change on cultural heritage. Long-term monitoring of built and archaeological heritage is therefore necessary to ascertain the nature of loss due to slow onset effects. During research at the Dublin Institute of Technology in 2011 a Legacy Indicator Tool (LegIT) for measuring the weathering of stone surfaces into the far future was developed by the author and piloted at five National Monuments in Ireland. While it is too soon to evaluate the tool in relation to long term climate change trends, this article considers the data from 5 years of exposure and provides an early assessment of the pilot study's design and implementation. Results: Measurements for colour, surface roughness, weight, and dimensions from the 5 year exposure of the LegIT were analysed. Comparisons between sites allows assessment of surface change under different atmospheric conditions. The indications for regional and localized weathering trends will aid managers in understanding risks and setting priorities-both for further monitoring and for conservation interventions. Conclusions: Results from the 5 year pilot trial of the LegIT has allowed preliminary evaluation of its potential as a long term indicator for surface weathering. Recommendations have been made for modifications to the design, manufacture and implementation of the tool. The future aim is to compare results over time at each site, building a picture of surface weathering processes in relation to regional climatic change.
Conservation and Management of Archaeological Sites, 2014
The predicted impacts of climate change on cultural heritage are likely to be dynamic and complex... more The predicted impacts of climate change on cultural heritage are likely to be dynamic and complex. Understanding the potential risks at site level is vital to ensure that appropriate adaptation and mitigation measures are put in place. There is, however, a dearth of tools and methodologies suitable for use by heritage managers. In this paper the potential of vulnerability analysis for site-based assessment is explored. A six-step vulnerability framework, adapted for cultural heritage, is illustrated utilizing material from two case-study sites (Brú na Bóinne and Skellig Michael). The implementation of each step in the proposed framework is demonstrated to aid those wishing to apply the method in practice. The 'values based' approach taken is suitable for a wide range of cultural heritage including landscapes, monuments, and buried archaeology. The six-step framework and the utilization of indicators provide a method that allows comparison between sites and yet is sufficiently flexible to account for localized concerns. The framework will aid decision makers with planning and prioritization.
This report will be useful to anyone interested in how culture and heritage intersects with clima... more This report will be useful to anyone interested in how culture and heritage intersects with climate change policy. It provides an overview of WG4’s HiCLIP project and results of the pilot application by volunteers. It also highlights potential areas for culture and heritage to become more effective in Climate Action policy and planning. HiCLIP’s interdisciplinary methods aim to bridge the current gap in understanding between climate action and cultural resource management. The multidisciplinary research process and practices presented in this report identify some of the cognitive biases at the basis of sectorized planning which may prevent efficient collaborations
On July 3rd, 2019, the Climate Change and Heritage Working Group of ICOMOS delivered a new report... more On July 3rd, 2019, the Climate Change and Heritage Working Group of ICOMOS delivered a new report on the critical importance of heritage issues to international climate change policy, to the States Parties of the World Heritage Committee. Titled The Future of Our Pasts: Engaging Cultural Heritage in Climate Action, the report was co-published by ICOMOS and the Center for Heritage and Society with funding by the Worldwide Universities Network (WUN).The Climate Change and Heritage Working Group’s (CCHWG) brief is to (more on the Working Group’s brief can be accessed here:(1) Develop and coordinate ICOMOS inputs into the update of the 2007 World Heritage Committee “Policy Document on the Impacts of Climate Change on World Heritage Properties.” This will include soliciting and collecting inputs from various ICOMOS constituencies including National Committee and International Scientific Committees, synthesizing those inputs and offering them in a timely and helpful matter to the joint UNESCO-ICCROM-IUCN-ICOMOS Policy update process.(2) Develop a draft global climate change organizational engagement program for ICOMOS (the “Roadmap”). The ICOMOS Roadmap would suggest a framework for comprehensive engagement by ICOMOS members on climate change including suggested activities and areas of engagement and responsibility for various ICOMOS International Scientific Committees, National Committees, specialized bodies and the Secretariat.(3) Coordinating the drafting of a new ICOMOS Charter on Climate Change and Heritage. A charter is ICOMOS’s most formal type of international doctrinal document, addressing heritage and conservation as a discipline. The consideration and adoption of charters is governed by specific procedures set out in the ICOMOS Rules of Procedure. The pursuit of Charter as a capstone to the Working Group efforts is advisable both because the outcome will provide authoritative guidance on best practices for the managing of heritage in the face of climate change but also because the inclusive process is required for charter consideration is perhaps the most comprehensive way to engage ICOMOS members on a topic. The charter is expected to be a map to the Policy Document but will include all types of cultural heritage (not just World Heritage) and may extend to areas that the WHC chooses not to include in its Policy for political or other reasons. Target completion draft: October 2019 (final draft submission at ICOMOS annual general meeting; Rabat, Morocco); October 2020: adoption at the 20th ICOMOS General Assembly (Sydney, Australia)
Heritage Under Pressure – Threats and Solution, 2019
When creating strategies for climate change adaptation the degree of uncertainty in future modell... more When creating strategies for climate change adaptation the degree of uncertainty in future modelling poses a substantial challenge. This paper offers a brief exploration of this and other barriers to policy development taking the Republic of Ireland as a case study. Research and policy developments over the last decade in Ireland are chronicled including the implications of the 2016 Climate Change Bill and plans to develop a sectoral adaptation strategy for built and archaeological heritage. The Irish example demonstrates how uncertainty, future discounting, politics and financial instability impacts on the development of heritage policy in relation to climate change.
This unpublished report prepared for the Department of Arts Heritage, Regional, Rural, Gaeltacht ... more This unpublished report prepared for the Department of Arts Heritage, Regional, Rural, Gaeltacht Affairs of Ireland is desktop review of relevant material regarding current and future climate change and the potential impact on Ireland’s built heritage (both archaeological and architectural). In this report a synopsis of the current state of relevant research on the potential impact of climate change on Ireland’s archaeological and architectural heritage is provided. Relevant Media reports on weather-related events that resulted in damage to heritage sites / historic buildings (in particular, Irish examples) within the previous five years have been analysed. An indication of adaptation responses already adopted or in the process of being adopted is provided. Lastly an indication of the issues to be addressed in a built heritage sectoral plan on climate change adaptation is given.
The Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act 2015 established the requirement for a National... more The Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act 2015 established the requirement for a National Adaptation Framework (NAF). The 2019 NAF will be composed of 12 sectoral plans, of which built and archaeological heritage is one. All the plans have been written according to the Sectoral Planning Guidelines for Climate Change Adaptation produced by the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment (DCCAE, 2018a). These guidelines detail a six-step process which has been used as a framework for drafting this plan and is also reflected in its structure. The plan has been informed by existing research and has incorporated consultation with experts, stakeholders and the public throughout its production. It has also closely considered published plans from other sectors in order to promote consistency within the NAF and to ensure cross-cutting issues are highlighted.
Journal of Cultural Heritage Management and Sustainable Development, 2020
PurposeIreland's Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act 2015 established the requireme... more PurposeIreland's Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act 2015 established the requirement for a National Adaptation Framework (NAF) composed of nine sectoral plans, of which Built and Archaeological Heritage is one. All the plans were written according to the six-step process outlined in Sectoral Planning Guidelines for Climate Change Adaptation produced by the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment (DCCAE, 2018) which is also the government department charged with coordinating the NAF. This article will summarise the application of the methodology to heritage resources in Ireland, the issues encountered and the results achieved.Design/methodology/approachThe plan was informed by existing research and incorporated expert, stakeholder and public consultation throughout the process. It also closely considered published plans from other sectors in order to aid consistency within the NAF and to ensure cross-cutting issues were highlighted.FindingsOf the m...
Cultural sites are particularly important to Indigenous peoples, their identity, cosmology and so... more Cultural sites are particularly important to Indigenous peoples, their identity, cosmology and sociopolitical traditions. The benefits of local control, and a lack of professional resources, necessitate the development of planning tools that support independent Indigenous cultural site adaptation. We devised and tested a methodology for non-heritage professionals to analyse options that address site loss, build site resilience and build local adaptive capacity. Indigenous rangers from Kakadu National Park and the Djelk Indigenous Protected Area, Arnhem Land, Australia, were engaged as fellow researchers via a participatory action research methodology. Rangers rejected coastal defences and relocating sites, instead prioritising routine use of a risk field survey, documentation of vulnerable sites using new digital technologies and widely communicating the climate change vulnerability of sites via a video documentary. Results support the view that rigorous approaches to cultural site ...
Background: Gradual changes in weathering rates and mechanisms are the barely visible impacts of ... more Background: Gradual changes in weathering rates and mechanisms are the barely visible impacts of climate change on cultural heritage. Long-term monitoring of built and archaeological heritage is therefore necessary to ascertain the nature of loss due to slow onset effects. During research at the Dublin Institute of Technology in 2011 a Legacy Indicator Tool (LegIT) for measuring the weathering of stone surfaces into the far future was developed by the author and piloted at five National Monuments in Ireland. While it is too soon to evaluate the tool in relation to long term climate change trends, this article considers the data from 5 years of exposure and provides an early assessment of the pilot study's design and implementation. Results: Measurements for colour, surface roughness, weight, and dimensions from the 5 year exposure of the LegIT were analysed. Comparisons between sites allows assessment of surface change under different atmospheric conditions. The indications for regional and localized weathering trends will aid managers in understanding risks and setting priorities-both for further monitoring and for conservation interventions. Conclusions: Results from the 5 year pilot trial of the LegIT has allowed preliminary evaluation of its potential as a long term indicator for surface weathering. Recommendations have been made for modifications to the design, manufacture and implementation of the tool. The future aim is to compare results over time at each site, building a picture of surface weathering processes in relation to regional climatic change.
Conservation and Management of Archaeological Sites, 2014
The predicted impacts of climate change on cultural heritage are likely to be dynamic and complex... more The predicted impacts of climate change on cultural heritage are likely to be dynamic and complex. Understanding the potential risks at site level is vital to ensure that appropriate adaptation and mitigation measures are put in place. There is, however, a dearth of tools and methodologies suitable for use by heritage managers. In this paper the potential of vulnerability analysis for site-based assessment is explored. A six-step vulnerability framework, adapted for cultural heritage, is illustrated utilizing material from two case-study sites (Brú na Bóinne and Skellig Michael). The implementation of each step in the proposed framework is demonstrated to aid those wishing to apply the method in practice. The 'values based' approach taken is suitable for a wide range of cultural heritage including landscapes, monuments, and buried archaeology. The six-step framework and the utilization of indicators provide a method that allows comparison between sites and yet is sufficiently flexible to account for localized concerns. The framework will aid decision makers with planning and prioritization.
Significant riverine archaeological sites around the world are vulnerable to flooding associated ... more Significant riverine archaeological sites around the world are vulnerable to flooding associated with climate change. However, identifying sites most at risk is not straightforward. We critically review the parameters used in 22 published analyses of risk to riverine archaeology from climate change (ARRACC). Covering 17 countries globally, the ARRACC’s risk parameters are highly variable. Proximity to rivers and projected changes to extreme flood frequency are the most commonly employed. However, to be robust, future ARRACC should select from a wider range of hazard parameters, including channel mobility/type, erosion/sedimentation patterns, land use and engineering works, as well as parameters for site sensitivity to flooding and heritage significance. To assist in this, we propose a basic field survey for ARRACC, to be treated primarily as a conceptual checklist or as a starting point for a bespoke ARRACC method adapted for a particular river and the objectives of local stakeholde...
50 Years World Heritage Convention: Shared Responsibility – Conflict & Reconciliation
In 2007, the Policy Document on the Impacts of Climate Change on World Heritage Properties was ad... more In 2007, the Policy Document on the Impacts of Climate Change on World Heritage Properties was adopted by the World Heritage (WH) Committee, and a revised policy document, the Draft Policy Document on Climate Action for World Heritage, was released in 2021. An English word search on terms related to potential conflicts between WH and climate change was undertaken and utilised as a starting point for an exploration of developments over the 14 intervening years. Four themes were defined and explored, namely, mission, change, loss, and responsibility. In many cases of perceived conflict, professionals and policy makers have been actively working to find solutions. In others, there is the potential for developing new and creative approaches that will ensure the relevance of heritage in an uncertain future.
Globally, cultural heritage is on the front line of anthropogenic climate change. Therefore, it c... more Globally, cultural heritage is on the front line of anthropogenic climate change. Therefore, it could be argued that climate change should now be a primary lens through which cultural heritage conservation and management are viewed. We argue that addressing the growing and compounding risks and impacts of climate change requires a fundamental rethink and transformation of cultural heritage management and policy. In this article, we propose a climate‐smart cultural heritage (CSCH) approach that captures the notion that climate adaptation can be developed and implemented within the heritage sector to simultaneously reduce the impacts of changing climate and variability on tangible and intangible cultural heritage and provide co‐benefits for climate change mitigation while also enhancing human security at different spatial scales. The CSCH is an integrated approach to implementing forward‐looking and transformative cultural heritage management and policy and is not a new set of practic...
Climate change threatens archaeological sites and cultural landscapes globally. While to date, aw... more Climate change threatens archaeological sites and cultural landscapes globally. While to date, awareness and action around cultural heritage and climate change adaptation planning has focused on Europe and North America, in this article, the authors address adaptation policy and measures for heritage sites in low- and middle-income countries. Using a review of national adaptation plans, expert survey and five case studies, results show the varied climate change adaptation responses across four continents, their strengths and weaknesses, and the barriers to be addressed to ensure better integration of cultural heritage in climate change adaptation planning.
Journal of Cultural Heritage Management and Sustainable Development, 2020
PurposeIreland's Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act 2015 established the requireme... more PurposeIreland's Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act 2015 established the requirement for a National Adaptation Framework (NAF) composed of nine sectoral plans, of which Built and Archaeological Heritage is one. All the plans were written according to the six-step process outlined in Sectoral Planning Guidelines for Climate Change Adaptation produced by the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment (DCCAE, 2018) which is also the government department charged with coordinating the NAF. This article will summarise the application of the methodology to heritage resources in Ireland, the issues encountered and the results achieved.Design/methodology/approachThe plan was informed by existing research and incorporated expert, stakeholder and public consultation throughout the process. It also closely considered published plans from other sectors in order to aid consistency within the NAF and to ensure cross-cutting issues were highlighted.FindingsOf the m...
Cultural sites are particularly important to Indigenous peoples, their identity, cosmology and so... more Cultural sites are particularly important to Indigenous peoples, their identity, cosmology and sociopolitical traditions. The benefits of local control, and a lack of professional resources, necessitate the development of planning tools that support independent Indigenous cultural site adaptation. We devised and tested a methodology for non-heritage professionals to analyse options that address site loss, build site resilience and build local adaptive capacity. Indigenous rangers from Kakadu National Park and the Djelk Indigenous Protected Area, Arnhem Land, Australia, were engaged as fellow researchers via a participatory action research methodology. Rangers rejected coastal defences and relocating sites, instead prioritising routine use of a risk field survey, documentation of vulnerable sites using new digital technologies and widely communicating the climate change vulnerability of sites via a video documentary. Results support the view that rigorous approaches to cultural site ...
Background: Gradual changes in weathering rates and mechanisms are the barely visible impacts of ... more Background: Gradual changes in weathering rates and mechanisms are the barely visible impacts of climate change on cultural heritage. Long-term monitoring of built and archaeological heritage is therefore necessary to ascertain the nature of loss due to slow onset effects. During research at the Dublin Institute of Technology in 2011 a Legacy Indicator Tool (LegIT) for measuring the weathering of stone surfaces into the far future was developed by the author and piloted at five National Monuments in Ireland. While it is too soon to evaluate the tool in relation to long term climate change trends, this article considers the data from 5 years of exposure and provides an early assessment of the pilot study's design and implementation. Results: Measurements for colour, surface roughness, weight, and dimensions from the 5 year exposure of the LegIT were analysed. Comparisons between sites allows assessment of surface change under different atmospheric conditions. The indications for regional and localized weathering trends will aid managers in understanding risks and setting priorities-both for further monitoring and for conservation interventions. Conclusions: Results from the 5 year pilot trial of the LegIT has allowed preliminary evaluation of its potential as a long term indicator for surface weathering. Recommendations have been made for modifications to the design, manufacture and implementation of the tool. The future aim is to compare results over time at each site, building a picture of surface weathering processes in relation to regional climatic change.
Conservation and Management of Archaeological Sites, 2014
The predicted impacts of climate change on cultural heritage are likely to be dynamic and complex... more The predicted impacts of climate change on cultural heritage are likely to be dynamic and complex. Understanding the potential risks at site level is vital to ensure that appropriate adaptation and mitigation measures are put in place. There is, however, a dearth of tools and methodologies suitable for use by heritage managers. In this paper the potential of vulnerability analysis for site-based assessment is explored. A six-step vulnerability framework, adapted for cultural heritage, is illustrated utilizing material from two case-study sites (Brú na Bóinne and Skellig Michael). The implementation of each step in the proposed framework is demonstrated to aid those wishing to apply the method in practice. The 'values based' approach taken is suitable for a wide range of cultural heritage including landscapes, monuments, and buried archaeology. The six-step framework and the utilization of indicators provide a method that allows comparison between sites and yet is sufficiently flexible to account for localized concerns. The framework will aid decision makers with planning and prioritization.
This report will be useful to anyone interested in how culture and heritage intersects with clima... more This report will be useful to anyone interested in how culture and heritage intersects with climate change policy. It provides an overview of WG4’s HiCLIP project and results of the pilot application by volunteers. It also highlights potential areas for culture and heritage to become more effective in Climate Action policy and planning. HiCLIP’s interdisciplinary methods aim to bridge the current gap in understanding between climate action and cultural resource management. The multidisciplinary research process and practices presented in this report identify some of the cognitive biases at the basis of sectorized planning which may prevent efficient collaborations
On July 3rd, 2019, the Climate Change and Heritage Working Group of ICOMOS delivered a new report... more On July 3rd, 2019, the Climate Change and Heritage Working Group of ICOMOS delivered a new report on the critical importance of heritage issues to international climate change policy, to the States Parties of the World Heritage Committee. Titled The Future of Our Pasts: Engaging Cultural Heritage in Climate Action, the report was co-published by ICOMOS and the Center for Heritage and Society with funding by the Worldwide Universities Network (WUN).The Climate Change and Heritage Working Group’s (CCHWG) brief is to (more on the Working Group’s brief can be accessed here:(1) Develop and coordinate ICOMOS inputs into the update of the 2007 World Heritage Committee “Policy Document on the Impacts of Climate Change on World Heritage Properties.” This will include soliciting and collecting inputs from various ICOMOS constituencies including National Committee and International Scientific Committees, synthesizing those inputs and offering them in a timely and helpful matter to the joint UNESCO-ICCROM-IUCN-ICOMOS Policy update process.(2) Develop a draft global climate change organizational engagement program for ICOMOS (the “Roadmap”). The ICOMOS Roadmap would suggest a framework for comprehensive engagement by ICOMOS members on climate change including suggested activities and areas of engagement and responsibility for various ICOMOS International Scientific Committees, National Committees, specialized bodies and the Secretariat.(3) Coordinating the drafting of a new ICOMOS Charter on Climate Change and Heritage. A charter is ICOMOS’s most formal type of international doctrinal document, addressing heritage and conservation as a discipline. The consideration and adoption of charters is governed by specific procedures set out in the ICOMOS Rules of Procedure. The pursuit of Charter as a capstone to the Working Group efforts is advisable both because the outcome will provide authoritative guidance on best practices for the managing of heritage in the face of climate change but also because the inclusive process is required for charter consideration is perhaps the most comprehensive way to engage ICOMOS members on a topic. The charter is expected to be a map to the Policy Document but will include all types of cultural heritage (not just World Heritage) and may extend to areas that the WHC chooses not to include in its Policy for political or other reasons. Target completion draft: October 2019 (final draft submission at ICOMOS annual general meeting; Rabat, Morocco); October 2020: adoption at the 20th ICOMOS General Assembly (Sydney, Australia)
Heritage Under Pressure – Threats and Solution, 2019
When creating strategies for climate change adaptation the degree of uncertainty in future modell... more When creating strategies for climate change adaptation the degree of uncertainty in future modelling poses a substantial challenge. This paper offers a brief exploration of this and other barriers to policy development taking the Republic of Ireland as a case study. Research and policy developments over the last decade in Ireland are chronicled including the implications of the 2016 Climate Change Bill and plans to develop a sectoral adaptation strategy for built and archaeological heritage. The Irish example demonstrates how uncertainty, future discounting, politics and financial instability impacts on the development of heritage policy in relation to climate change.
This unpublished report prepared for the Department of Arts Heritage, Regional, Rural, Gaeltacht ... more This unpublished report prepared for the Department of Arts Heritage, Regional, Rural, Gaeltacht Affairs of Ireland is desktop review of relevant material regarding current and future climate change and the potential impact on Ireland’s built heritage (both archaeological and architectural). In this report a synopsis of the current state of relevant research on the potential impact of climate change on Ireland’s archaeological and architectural heritage is provided. Relevant Media reports on weather-related events that resulted in damage to heritage sites / historic buildings (in particular, Irish examples) within the previous five years have been analysed. An indication of adaptation responses already adopted or in the process of being adopted is provided. Lastly an indication of the issues to be addressed in a built heritage sectoral plan on climate change adaptation is given.
The Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act 2015 established the requirement for a National... more The Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act 2015 established the requirement for a National Adaptation Framework (NAF). The 2019 NAF will be composed of 12 sectoral plans, of which built and archaeological heritage is one. All the plans have been written according to the Sectoral Planning Guidelines for Climate Change Adaptation produced by the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment (DCCAE, 2018a). These guidelines detail a six-step process which has been used as a framework for drafting this plan and is also reflected in its structure. The plan has been informed by existing research and has incorporated consultation with experts, stakeholders and the public throughout its production. It has also closely considered published plans from other sectors in order to promote consistency within the NAF and to ensure cross-cutting issues are highlighted.
Journal of Cultural Heritage Management and Sustainable Development, 2020
PurposeIreland's Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act 2015 established the requireme... more PurposeIreland's Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act 2015 established the requirement for a National Adaptation Framework (NAF) composed of nine sectoral plans, of which Built and Archaeological Heritage is one. All the plans were written according to the six-step process outlined in Sectoral Planning Guidelines for Climate Change Adaptation produced by the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment (DCCAE, 2018) which is also the government department charged with coordinating the NAF. This article will summarise the application of the methodology to heritage resources in Ireland, the issues encountered and the results achieved.Design/methodology/approachThe plan was informed by existing research and incorporated expert, stakeholder and public consultation throughout the process. It also closely considered published plans from other sectors in order to aid consistency within the NAF and to ensure cross-cutting issues were highlighted.FindingsOf the m...
Cultural sites are particularly important to Indigenous peoples, their identity, cosmology and so... more Cultural sites are particularly important to Indigenous peoples, their identity, cosmology and sociopolitical traditions. The benefits of local control, and a lack of professional resources, necessitate the development of planning tools that support independent Indigenous cultural site adaptation. We devised and tested a methodology for non-heritage professionals to analyse options that address site loss, build site resilience and build local adaptive capacity. Indigenous rangers from Kakadu National Park and the Djelk Indigenous Protected Area, Arnhem Land, Australia, were engaged as fellow researchers via a participatory action research methodology. Rangers rejected coastal defences and relocating sites, instead prioritising routine use of a risk field survey, documentation of vulnerable sites using new digital technologies and widely communicating the climate change vulnerability of sites via a video documentary. Results support the view that rigorous approaches to cultural site ...
Background: Gradual changes in weathering rates and mechanisms are the barely visible impacts of ... more Background: Gradual changes in weathering rates and mechanisms are the barely visible impacts of climate change on cultural heritage. Long-term monitoring of built and archaeological heritage is therefore necessary to ascertain the nature of loss due to slow onset effects. During research at the Dublin Institute of Technology in 2011 a Legacy Indicator Tool (LegIT) for measuring the weathering of stone surfaces into the far future was developed by the author and piloted at five National Monuments in Ireland. While it is too soon to evaluate the tool in relation to long term climate change trends, this article considers the data from 5 years of exposure and provides an early assessment of the pilot study's design and implementation. Results: Measurements for colour, surface roughness, weight, and dimensions from the 5 year exposure of the LegIT were analysed. Comparisons between sites allows assessment of surface change under different atmospheric conditions. The indications for regional and localized weathering trends will aid managers in understanding risks and setting priorities-both for further monitoring and for conservation interventions. Conclusions: Results from the 5 year pilot trial of the LegIT has allowed preliminary evaluation of its potential as a long term indicator for surface weathering. Recommendations have been made for modifications to the design, manufacture and implementation of the tool. The future aim is to compare results over time at each site, building a picture of surface weathering processes in relation to regional climatic change.
Conservation and Management of Archaeological Sites, 2014
The predicted impacts of climate change on cultural heritage are likely to be dynamic and complex... more The predicted impacts of climate change on cultural heritage are likely to be dynamic and complex. Understanding the potential risks at site level is vital to ensure that appropriate adaptation and mitigation measures are put in place. There is, however, a dearth of tools and methodologies suitable for use by heritage managers. In this paper the potential of vulnerability analysis for site-based assessment is explored. A six-step vulnerability framework, adapted for cultural heritage, is illustrated utilizing material from two case-study sites (Brú na Bóinne and Skellig Michael). The implementation of each step in the proposed framework is demonstrated to aid those wishing to apply the method in practice. The 'values based' approach taken is suitable for a wide range of cultural heritage including landscapes, monuments, and buried archaeology. The six-step framework and the utilization of indicators provide a method that allows comparison between sites and yet is sufficiently flexible to account for localized concerns. The framework will aid decision makers with planning and prioritization.
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Papers by cathy daly