Using Cultural Heritage in Climate Adaptation: Fields of Application and Functions

Cultural heritage is massively threatened by climate change, but at the same time represents a resource for climate adaptation. An analysis of the literature with regard to fields of application and functions shows that cultural heritage is discussed in almost all fields of climate adaptation. Relevant fields of application include the planning of protective infrastructure as well as technological and behavioral options, education, and informational adaptation measures. The functions attributed to the inclusion of cultural heritage in adaptation measures include informational, emotional, community-building, economic, and aesthetic functions. With respect to the integration of heritage in adaptation processes, different approaches exist, ranging from the preservation of tangible and intangible heritage over the integration of heritage in infrastructure planning to new approaches that focus on proactive engagement with the change and loss of heritage sites or objects. The broad spectrum of at times conflicting approaches demonstrates that the question of how to use cultural heritage in adaptation depends on which adaptation strategies are prioritized. This narrative review structures the vast but only partially explored field and proposes an analysis of the functions of cultural heritage in the different fields of climate adaptation. This article is categorized under: i. Climate, History, Society, Culture > Ideas and Knowledge ii. The Social Status of Climate Change Knowledge > Sociology/Anthropology of Climate Knowledge iii. The Social Status of Climate Change Knowledge > Knowledge and Practice