in a Rapidly Changing Climate Adam Markham, Union of Concerned - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Cultural Heritage and Historic Places in a Rapidly Changing Climate Adam Markham, Union of Concerned Scientists

Cultural Heritage What we inherit from the past and what we pass from generation to generation. Not just monuments, art and artefacts but all the expressions of our ways of living including traditions, languages, rituals and foods.

We are not doing a very good job of keeping history above water …

Heat-trapping carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide have increased to levels unprecedented in at least the last 800,000 years in the atmosphere. - IPCC fifth assessment NASA

2015: The warmest year. Ever. Source: NSA/GSFC/Scientific Visualization Studio

PARIS AGREEMENT “ below 2ºC above pre-industrial levels and pursuing efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 ºC ”

1°C already

Source: EPA

New research on Antarctic ice sheet melt suggests that US East coast could see 5-6 feet of sea level rise by 2100. Photo: NASA

Photo illustration:Darrow/Vanity Fair

Hurricane Sandy provided a wake- up call …

Ellis Island Closed for 1 year after Sandy

Observed Change in very heavy precipitation Source: NCA/Updated from Karl 2009

Western Wildfires

Direct fire effects: stone & ceramic artifacts Heat spalling Fire fracture Photos: Ana Steffen

Photo: Rory Gauthier, NPS

NASA Langley

Getty

Coquina wall – Castillo de San Marcos

Castillo de San Marcos, St. Augustine, FL.

Snapshot of Arctic Archaeology at Risk 1. Qajaa 2. Foulke Fjord 3. Fort Conger 4. Sannirut 5. York Factory 6. Kuukpak 7. Herschel Island 8. Cape Krusenstern NM 9. Bering Land Bridge NP 10.Nunalleq 11.Yana River 12.Longyearbyen Image: UCS/Hugo Ahlenius, UNEP/GRID-Arendal

Walakpa, Alaska: August 2003 Slide courtesy of Anne Jensen

Walakpa, Alaska: September 2014 Slide courtesy of Anne Jensen

August 2015 Images courtesy Mark Ahsoak Jr. Slide courtesy of Anne Jensen

Nunalleq Y’upik Village, Alaska

oopersville, MD hoto: Gary Braasch

World Heritage Sites at Risk

132 of 700 UNESCO World Heritage Sites Threatened by Sea level rise Bruges, Belgium Source: Potsdam Institute, 2014

Photo: Adam Stanford

Photo: Adam Stanford

Ifugau Rice Terraces, Philippines

Damage from extreme rain storms Ancient Pompei Nero’s Domus Aurea, Rome

Photo: NPS/Marcy Rockman

David Harvey & Jim Perry “The traditional view that heritage conservation carries a treasured past into the future must change” “A new view of heritage, serving society and communities in times of rapid climate change, embraces loss, alternative forms of knowledge & uncertain futures”

Call to Action “…neither the costs of addressing climate change impacts on cultural heritage, nor the knowledge we gain from understanding our cultural heritage, have been comprehensively addressed in climate policy responses at any level “

• Empower and support local communities to maintain and preserve what they value • Ensure cultural heritage voices and expertise are represented in climate policy discussion at all levels • Share the data and information necessary to identify cultural resources at risk, assess the level of threat and prioritize actions • Share best practices and incorporate into cultural resource management planning and decision making • Increase public awareness of climate risks to cultural heritage and the array of potential solutions • Attract the resources needed for climate preparedness and resilience.

Pocantico Follow-up • Public workshop at the National Adaptation Forum • A new Society for American Archaeology Committee on Climate Change • New initiatives by the NTHP • ICOMOS and other cultural heritage groups’ presence at the Paris Climate Summit • UNESCO/UNEP/UCS report on World Heritage Sites • Numerous articles, posters and conference presentations

Thank You! CONTACT: amarkham@ucsusa.org www.ucsusa.org