Climate Change and Sustaining Heritage Resources: A Framework for Boosting Cultural and Natural Heritage Conservation in Central Italy

Abstract

Climate change has dramatically affected the rainfall patterns and water systems in Central Italy. The vulnerability of this area to climate change and natural hazards necessitates that appropriate adaptation policies be put in place to protect heritage sites. This study aims to develop a cultural and natural heritage conservation framework for Central Italy that enhances the capacity of climate change adaptation for heritage resources. For this purpose, a comparison was made between the UNESCO (United National Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) Convention of 1972 and the European Landscape Convention of the Council of Europe to achieve a coherent vision for the protection of heritage resources in Europe. After describing the impacts of climate change on heritage resources in Central Italy, we analyze and suggest improvements to the conservation framework for wisely protecting heritage resources in a changing climate. The findings reveal that conservation sectors require assessments of the value of heritage resources at the territorial scale to effectively define conservation priorities, assess the vulnerabilities, and more precisely direct funding. In this respect, the integration of the European Landscape Convention with territorial planning may boost the unity of a conservation framework in terms of climate change while providing new opportunities for conservation authorities to develop adaptation policies.

Urban Heritage Conservation and Rapid Urbanization: Insights from Surat, India

“…The impact of climate change on heritage has wide consequences ranging from structural damage, atmospheric moisture and temperature changes, and new interactions between natural and anthropogenic factors to more socioeconomic factors such as tourism demand and supply. Findings from the literature analysis suggest that the cultural aspects (social and spatial) are increasingly being considered for achieving environmental sustainability [23,60,61]. At a state and local level, there is a paucity of evidence of policies/measures that take into account traditional and local community knowledge in assessing the possible impact of climate adaptation on cultural heritage elements and practices.…”

“…At a state and local level, there is a paucity of evidence of policies/measures that take into account traditional and local community knowledge in assessing the possible impact of climate adaptation on cultural heritage elements and practices. Indeed, at an urban scale, assessing the value of heritage resources is required for various reasons, such as, assessing vulnerabilities, adequately defining conservation priorities and directing funding [61]. Disaster management and risk mitigation policies with a heritage focus remain largely insufficient, particularly in view of Surat's vulnerability to repetitive flooding.…”

Comprehensive Assessment of Production–Living–Ecological Space Based on the Coupling Coordination Degree Model

“…Based on the identification of the main land use functions, a PLE land classification system was established for southwestern China [25]. Other studies have contributed to progress in other areas, such as the spatial zoning of the production-living-ecological functions [26], capacity evaluation [27], quantitative function identification and analysis [6], reconstruction and space optimization layout [28,29], and impacts of climate change on PLE space [30]. However, research on the quantitative evolution of the interaction among the three functions has not been systematically carried out.…”

Capturing the City’s Heritage On-the-Go: Design Requirements for Mobile Crowdsourced Cultural Heritage

“…An ideal ICH framework would be effective at both acquiring and retaining users by intrinsically motivating them in a One of the fundamental threats to the sustainability of ICH, perceived by the communities, is largely singled out to be the processes of globalization and development [16]. These advancements have been discussed to significantly threaten cultural heritage resources, not only from a physical point of view, but also in terms of transforming the socio-economic dynamics, and consequently intangible features of the cultural landscape [17]. Globalization and development are hardly avoidable and are regarded by the collective wisdom as the most prominent attacks against the protection of traditional expressions and local cultures [18].…”