Has the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) inspired your organisation to be more eco-friendly? We’re here to help! As part of our Climate Crisis Response, we release round-ups of new climate crisis resources for heritage. In the last few months, the following climate heritage resources have been released or updated:
- Scottish Civic Trust has put together a programme of six lectures on the theme of climate, equity and heritage that will be released over the course of COP26.
- The Make Your Mark campaign, which aims to increase the number and diversity of Scotland’s heritage volunteers, is holding a half-day conference on green volunteering on 5 November. If you can’t make it, videos from the session will be available afterwards from the Make Your Mark website.
- Culture at COP is a one-stop-shop for all events relating to culture and heritage happening as part of COP26. Created and hosted by Museums Galleries Scotland, it is updated frequently and is the best place to locate current content on the subject.
- More than 30 environmental, cultural and heritage organisations are coming together in regions across Scotland to inspire public engagement and positive action in the run up to COP26 and beyond. With funding from the Scottish Government’s Climate Change and Culture Divisions, Creative Scotland and Museums Galleries Scotland, seven hubs known as ‘Climate Beacons’ will take form in Argyll, Caithness & East Sutherland, Fife, Inverclyde, Midlothian, the Outer Hebrides and Tayside. Bringing together shared resources and knowledge from cultural and climate organisations, the Climate Beacons will provide a welcoming physical and virtual space for the public, artists and cultural sector professionals, environmental NGOs, scientists and policymakers to discuss and debate COP26 themes and climate action specific to each local area.
- Historic Environment Scotland has created a new webpage detailing their activities in relation to COP26.
- Unesco has updated its Policy Document on the impacts of Climate Change on World Heritage properties. An online consultation concerning the updating of the document took place from 30 December 2019 to 31 January 2020. The updated draft has been examined and endorsed by the World Heritage Committee at its extended 44th session. It was decided to transmit it for review and adoption at the 23rd session of the General Assembly of States Parties to the World Heritage Convention in November 2021.
- A new literature review on the impacts of climate change on cultural heritage has been created by authors Elena Sesana,Alexandre S. Gagnon,Chiara Ciantelli, JoAnn Cassar, and John J. Hughes.
- The World Heritage Masters Programme at University College Dublin continues its online programme of lectures on World Heritage themes, touching on sustainability and the climate crisis mostly in the context of Africa-based World Heritage sites.
Hopefully these resources will provide some inspiration for your organisation to start tackling the climate crisis. Please feel free to use our Climate Crisis Response and adapt our policies and procedures as you see fit. As always, if you’d like to discuss your ideas with us, give us a ring or drop us an email!
Image: ‘A Storm Ahead’ by Libby, Inveralmond Community Highschool, 2021 My Place Photography Competition Young Persons’ Choice Winner.