Exploring the impact of Climate Change on shared coastal heritage with the CHERISH Project for COP26

Leading up to the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) CHERISH have attended two important events:

The ICOMOS UK conference: Promoting Cultural Heritage as a Key Driver for Local Climate Action was held on the 14 October, and the Commission’s own Toby Driver was a speaker.

The aim of the conference was to highlight how local communities should be at the heart of government and agency climate change strategies where cultural heritage should be a key driver, and how we translate research and policies into practical community actions.

On 27 October, , Aberystwyth University’s Sarah Davies spoke at the Climate Resilience Heritage Summit (led by Historic Environment Scotland) and was also one of the panellists.

The event brought together academics and practitioners, regulators and charitable bodies to explore the exposure, vulnerability and impacts of climate hazards on the historic environment. Speakers also discussed the possibilities of working with climate data to develop options for adaptation and thresholds for change, including the use of archive data to track past climate change and what it might tell us about the future.

During COP26:

On Saturday 6 November CHERISH will be contributing video footage and providing voiceover and clips for the videos and poetry reading to accompany the British-Irish Council – Culture and Coastal Communities event where the Commission’s Louise Barker will be a panellist. The event will be:

“A creative exploration of culture and coastal resilience with British-Irish Council members and critical heritage partners. Virtually traversing a range of coastal communities and initiatives, this event will examine the human experience of our coastal heritage, tangible and intangible, in the UK and beyond. Diverse voices will unravel different perspectives on the risks, changes and challenges facing our coasts. Together we will explore how our heritage can be part of building a more resilient future”. 

You’re invited!

Attendees will be asked questions that explore their connection to the places where the land meets the sea and will have opportunity to ask our expert panellists questions.  

Saturday 6th November

08:00 – 09:30 GMT

In-person and streamed online

Register here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/195973892187

Daily videos

Throughout the conference (31 October –12 November), CHERISH will be posting daily videos on Twitter and YouTube to illustrate work that the CHERISH, CITiZAN and SCAPE projects are doing with regard to climate change and coastal heritage along the themes of: Change in the Material World, Community Action, the Long View and Origins of Modern Climate Change.

Find out more about COP26 here: https://ukcop26.org/

Keep up to date with the CHERISH Project on:

Twitter: @CHERISHproj

Facebook: @CHERISHProject

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCADLx1hyYL-3VO5xQoqzVsw/featured

CHERISH (Climate, Heritage and Environments of Reefs, Islands, and Headlands) is a six-year European-funded Ireland-Wales project (2017–23), bringing together four partners across two nations: the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales; the Discovery Programme: Centre for Archaeology and Innovation Ireland; Aberystwyth University: Department of Geography and Earth Sciences; and Geological Survey, Ireland.

The main objective of CHERISH is to increase capacity and knowledge of climate change adaptation for the Irish Sea and Coastal communities.

01/11/2021