Clima

The aim of both phases is the protection of cultural assets and the sustainability of tourism, with an emphasis on archaeological sites. The IHR contributed to: a) recording the problems caused by current climate change in 8 archaeological sites during the first phase and in 19 sites during the second phase, in Greece; b) collecting written sources and archaeological data concerning the impact of climatic and other natural phenomena on these sites from antiquity to the 19th century. The goal was to compile a vulnerability profile for each site, to be used both by the programme’s collaborating physicists in the development of climate models, and as a reference for preventive and crisis-management measures related to natural disasters. The ultimate aim is for the project’s digital platform to serve as a useful tool for the relevant authorities (regional administrations, municipalities, directorates of the Ministry of Culture, Ephorates of Antiquities, Civil Protection, etc.). At the same time, numerous presentations have been conducted to raise awareness among the public and responsible institutions regarding the threat climate change poses to cultural heritage, and the implications these threats have for Greek cultural identity, the contemporary economy, and our responsibility to safeguard monuments that transcend national boundaries and constitute world heritage.