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CLOSEClimate change and its impact on cultural heritage monuments
Sophia Zoumbaki
The project has evolved in two phases, supported by two consecutive funding schemes (see below). The first phase, carried out between 2019 and 2021, was implemented by collaboration of the Institute of Historical Research of the National Hellenic Research Foundation (IHR/NHRF) with the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA), the University of Thessaly, and private sector partners. For the outcomes of this phase, see: http://climascape.prd.uth. The second, ongoing phase is being carried out under a Programme Agreement between the Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Sports, the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, and the National Hellenic Research Foundation, for the implementation of the research project entitled “Designing a national strategy for the adaptation of cultural heritage monuments to the impacts of climate change.”
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.
- S. Zoumbaki, “Climate Change as a Threat for Cultural Heritage: Drawing Lessons from the Past and Protecting the Future of the Monuments”, in Conference on Cultural Heritage and New Technologies, Ρanel HERITAGE UNDER CLIMATE CHANGE THREAT: Innovation, mitigation, adaptation and education for resilience, CHNT 28 ICOMOS Austria, Vienna 15-17/11/23 (in press).
- S. Zoumbaki, “Interpretation and Management of Environmental Challenges by Ancient Greek Societies: Some Insights”, in J. Horncastle, S Gerstel, K. Lagos (eds.), Envisioning the Greek Landscape: From Thera to Climate Change (in press).
- S. Zoumbaki, “The role of climatic and natural phenomena in the desertions of Olympia”, in A. Yangaki, V. Antoniadis, M. Festas (eds.), Mapping settlement desertion in Southeastern Europe from Antiquity to the Modern Era (in press).
- C. Cartalis, A. Polydoros, Th. Mavrakou, K. Philippopoulos, E. Asprogerakas, P. Pantazis, A. Samarina, S. Zoumbaki, M. Karambinis, “Assessing the risks of climate change for cultural heritage – The CLIMASCAPE project”, in CEST2021 |17th International Conference on Environmental Science and Technology (Athens, 1-4 September 2021), https://doi.org/10.30955/GNC2021.00767
- S. Zoumbaki, “Looking for a shield against climate change: Historical and archaeological documentation in safeguarding cultural heritage from the impact of physical phenomena”, paper read at “Cultural Heritage School 2. Protecting Cultural Heritage from Climate Change”, a workshop on climate action, organised by the Greek Ministry of Culture, the Embassy of the United States of America in Athens, Greece, and ICOM Greece, Thessaloniki 8-10/2/2024.
- S. Zoumbaki, “CLIMASCAPE | Πλατφόρμα και πολυκριτηριακή εφαρμογή για την πρόβλεψη, ανίχνευση και διαχείριση κινδύνων λόγω κλιματικής αλλαγής σε χώρους μείζονος πολιτιστικού και τουριστικού ενδιαφέροντος –εφαρμογή για επιλεγμένους αρχαιολογικούς χώρους και μνημεία του καταλόγου Παγκόσμιας Κληρονομιάς της UNESCO”: presentation of the National Hellenic Research Foundation’s participation in the project (K. Kartalis, E. Asprogerakas, and P. Pantazis presented the contributions of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and the University of Thessaly), within the framework of the two-day conference and parallel exhibition entitled “Protection and Promotion of Greek Cultural Heritage”. Application of research outcomes developed by Research and Technological Institutions supervised by the General Secretariat for Research and Innovation, organized by the General Secretariat for Research and Innovation (GSRI) at the National Hellenic Research Foundation, 2–3 April 2024.
- S. Zoumbaki, “Οι κοινωνίες των αρχαίων ελληνικών πόλεων και η διαχείριση περιβαλλοντικών παραγόντων και κλιματικών κρίσεων: ανθεκτικότητα και κινητικότητα”, paper read at the one-day conference Bring Life in History. Ανασύσταση του τρόπου διαβίωσης στις κοινωνίες ιστορικών περιόδων μέσω διεπιστημονικών προσεγγίσεων, Thessaloniki, AUTh, 25/4/2024.
- S. Zoumbaki, “Presentation on Climate Change and Cultural Heritage” (co-presented with K. Kartalis), at the workshop organised by the Hellenic Ministry of Culture (with the support of the National Hellenic Research Foundation and the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens), Climate Change and Cultural Heritage. Preserving Universal Values, Enhancing Cohesion, and Supporting Sustainable Development, part of the UNFCCC–UNESCO and Hellenic Government initiative referenced by the UN Secretary-General in the “Report on the 2019 Climate Action Summit and the Way Forward in 2020” (11 Dec 2019). Side session, High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (7 June 2022).
- Project: “CLIMASCAPE. Development of a platform and multicriteria application for the prediction, detection, and management of climate change risks in areas of major cultural and touristic interest – application to selected archaeological sites and monuments on the UNESCO World Heritage List”, carried out within the framework of the RESEARCH–CREATE–INNOVATEAction, Operational Programme Competitiveness, Entrepreneurship and Innovation (EPAnEK) 2014–2020.
(Funding granted on 6 September 2018, under the 9th Amendment of the Decision for Inclusion of State Aid Projects, Protocol No. 3036, Project Code 2076)
Project budget for IHR/NHRF: €80,042.69 - Programme Agreement between the Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Sports, the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, and the National Hellenic Research Foundation
for the implementation of the research project “Designing a national strategy for the adaptation of cultural heritage monuments to the impacts of climate change.”
Project budget for IHR/NHRF: €223,200
Main page image: Deformation of a retaining wall near the Lesche of the Knidian / photo archive of the Ephorate of Antiquities of Phokis