COP30 – ICOMOS participation in PAS
ICOMOS supports Culture-based Climate Action at the UNFCCC, emphasising cultural heritage as a thematic target for measuring progress towards the Global Goal for Adaptation. ICOMOS supports the COP 30 Presidency on the Action Agenda Axis 5, Key Objective 19 – Culture, Cultural Heritage and Climate Action. We take part in providing and accelerating solutions related to cultural heritage. ICOMOS continues to build capacities to protect cultural heritage from climate-related risks, as well as showcase cultural heritage-based solutions in adaptation, mitigation, resilience, and behavioural change. ICOMOS is part of three plans to accelerate solutions (PAS) – Accelerating the Role of Culural Heirtage in National Adaptation Plans, Heritage Adapts campaign and Heritage Now campaign, introduced on 15.11 at the COP30 action room 5 at 14.00-15.00, blue zone
ICOMOS is grateful the GGA has recognized the vital role of heritage in adaptation and is proud to be part of three heritage-centric plans to accelerate solutions on the Action Agenda documents, which align with the GGA’s call for increased ambition to protect cultural heritage and offer concrete measurable ways to achieve that. ICOMOS Climate Action Working Group is one of the initiatives in the Action Agenda. ICOMOS CAWG is partner in three plans to accelerate solutions – Heritage Adapts campaign (lead by Preserving Legacies), Heritage Now campaign(lead by Climate Heritage Network DBTH group) and Plan to Accelerate Cultural Heritage Considerations in National Adaptation Plans (lead by Ministry of Culture of Brazil and Group of Friends of Culture-Based Climate Action).
Ave Paulus, Focal Point of ICOMOS and Suan Kamenar, Preserving Legacies “ As the COP of truth, we know that we are not meeting the targets set forth in the Paris Agreement and we must start serious adaptation implementation now. If we don’t we will continue to loose our lives and destroy livelihoods at accelerating rates. Heritage sector knows – communities with a strong connection to their heritage are more resilient in times of change. We are glad the GGA has recognized the vital role of heritage in adaptation and are proud to see heritage-centric initiatives on the Action Agenda which align with the GGA’s call for increased ambition to protect cultural heritage and offer concrete measurable ways to achieve that.Culture, heritage and communities don’t just define, connect, and inspire us; it is the very roots of our resilience and a repository of solutions. We must preserve and adapt heritage to enhance community resilience and to see effective adaptation solutions across sectors. For example, the built environment contributes 40% of global emissions. Heritage buildings and landscapes are a rich source of solutions that are rooted in traditional and local knowledge, support rich local culture, and build in thousands of years of human adapting to the climate. Cross-sectoral and multi-level efforts to accelerate Cultural Heritage in Climate Policy and Cultural Heritage Based solutions in climate action is the only way to respond to the climate crisis in an equitable and just way.”
Heritage-BAsed plans to accelerate solutions were acknowledged in COP30 by the COP30 presidency. ICOMOS CAWG supported PAS Heritage Adapts and Heritage Now Campaign as well as GFCBCA in several events and meetings throughout COP30, including the final joint letter of all the PAS to the Presidency.
