New perspectives on climate change and our heritage

Protecting Our Heritage in a Changing Climate: Insights from the Royal Irish Academy

Water hazards and climate change events are placing cultural heritage under unprecedented strain. In response, the Royal Irish Academy convened a conference under the theme “New Perspectives on Climate Change and Our Heritage”  bringing together researchers, policymakers, and practitioners to chart a course forward.

The session prompted participants to reflect on the 2025 Built & Archaeological Heritage Sectoral Adaptation Plan, explore strategic coordination at the European level, and engage with real-world case studies on protecting Ireland’s natural and cultural heritage.

Speakers

The conference drew participants from a wide range of disciplines and institutions:

Prof. Fiona Regan
CC & Env. Sciences Committee
Amanda Loeffen
SD-WISHEES & HR2W
Cathy Daly
Carrig International
Fergus McCormick
Office of Public Works
Martha Farrell
Munster Technological University
Anna Meenan
Heritage Council
Damian McFerran
National Museums NI
Lily Toomey
Trinity College Dublin
Trish Morgan
Dublin City University
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Widening strategies for hydroclimatic extremes

Amanda Loeffen was invited as the Keynote speaker for this event representing SD-WISHEES and HR2W. Amanda presented the newly completed SD-WISHEES Roadmap which makes the case that cultural heritage is not merely a victim of climate change, it is a repository of knowledge and practices that can actively support climate resilience and adaptation. Protecting it requires widening strategies to tackle hydroclimatic extreme events at scale.

The Roadmap, through a robust consultation using the Delphi process, identifies four main challenges in the Nexus of Cultural Heritage and Climate Adaptation that must be addressed through research and innovation:

01 Governance and policy misalignment. Cultural heritage is rarely recognised as a strategic adaptation priority, despite its social, cultural, and economic significance. National climate strategies must change this.
02 Limited structural and operational capacity. Institutions need stronger support in proposal writing, policy capacity, and administrative infrastructure to act at scale.
03 Financial constraints and unequal access. Funding disparities leave many heritage sites and communities without the resources to respond.
04 Cross-sectoral collaboration gaps. Language barriers and fragmented initiatives hinder cooperation which makes collaboration essential for cultural heritage preservation.

Strategic research & innovation priorities

1
Preventive Conservation and Emergency Preparedness
2
Integration of Heritage into Climate Policy
3
Integration of Indigenous Knowledge into Climate and Heritage Governance
4
Community Co-Creation and Social Participation

Recommendations

Recommendation 1

Support informed decision-making

  • Embed the WCCH Nexus in funding calls and strategic agendas
  • Commission targeted research and innovation actions
  • Advance risk assessment, monitoring, diagnostics, and decision-support tools
  • Strengthen knowledge translation in science-policy cooperation
  • Pilot demonstration sites in real-world contexts

Recommendation 2

Strengthen cross-sectoral and transnational cooperation

  • Establish dedicated research and innovation programming mechanisms
  • Build EU–Africa and EU–Balkans partnerships
  • Support transboundary and shared heritage research
  • Develop regional hubs and communities of practice

Recommendation 3

Empower communities, youth, and local knowledge systems

  • Create participatory and co-creative research mechanisms
  • Establish structured pathways for youth participation and leadership
  • Promote community-centred communication, climate literacy, and knowledge translation
  • Integrate indigenous, traditional, intangible, and living heritage into research and innovation frameworks