15 new Members announced by Climate Heritage Network
Charenton-le-Pont, France, 29 June, 2020 –The Climate Heritage Network is pleased to announce that an additional 15 organisations have become network members. The announcement was first made on 27 April at a meeting of the network’s International Steering Committee.
The new members include units of government like the Montana (USA) State Historic Preservation Office, the City of San Antonio Office of Sustainability, Flanders Heritage (Onroerend Erfgoed) and the Swedish National Heritage Board; the The Heritage Hub at Queen’s University Belfast from the university sector; creative and design businesses such as A. Ege Yildirim Heritage Planning and Hall Conservation Ltd.; and, in the cultural institutiosn category, TRAKT Cultural Tourism Centre (Poland). New NGO/Civil Society Members include the Architectural Heritage Society of Scotland, Chartered Institute for Archaeologists, Docomomo US, Foundation The Routes of the Olive Tree, IFLA (International Federation of Landscape Architects and Virasat, Society for the Study of Heritage of Jammu and Kashmir.
This immense power of arts, culture and heritage to drive just and transformative climate action often goes untapped. The Climate Heritage Network was launched in October 2019 in Edinburgh, Scotland by over 70 arts, culture and heritage organisations committed to unlocking this potential. The Network is expanding rapidly, as evidence by the 15 new members. An additional 45 organisations were also added in February.
The Climate Heritage Network aims to unite diverse actors across the arts, culture and heritage spectrum as part of the climate action movement. Ms. Suwaree Wongkongkaew, Director of the Chiang Mai City Arts & Cultural Centre and a CHN Steering Committee member, described the CHN’s philosophy this way:
“In Chiang Mai the connection between our culture, our life, and our environment is a mutual relationship, a strength, and inseparable. In the current situation, when we face climate problems that are rapidly escalating, the power of arts and culture can be used. We are working as a coalition to use cultural power to restore and protect the environment and cross the boundaries of familiarity, no longer separating government or general public.”
The 15 new CHN members reflect this diversity and include national, regional and local government bodies, cultural institutions, NGOs, universities, and design firms and other culture-aligned businesses. Climate change is a global phenomenon. The CHN works to connect groups around the world and to promote solidarity with communities on the frontlines of climate change. The 15 new members are draw from the CHN’s North America, Europe and CIS, and Asia-Pacific regions.
One hallmark of the CHN is the members’ commitment to working collaboratively. In 2019 the CHN released its first action plan at an event held in Madrid at COP25, the 2019 UN Climate Summit. Dubbed the Madrid-to-Glasgow Arts, Culture and Heritage Climate Action Plan, the plan’s release kicks off a year of culture-based climate action that will culminate in 2020 at COP26 in Glasgow, Scotland.
The plan’s activities will be implemented by volunteer working groups made up of CHN members. Dr Ewan Hyslop, Head of Technical Research & Science at Historic Environment Scotland and a Co-Chair of the Climate Heritage Network describes the value of the CHN approach this way:
“Successfully transitioning to a low-carbon future and adapting to environmental changes already underway requires individuals, organisations, governments and communities to work together. The Climate Heritage Network provides an opportunity to develop new and creative partnerships, strengthen those that already exist and pool expertise and knowledge from all corners of the world. Together, we can demonstrate what meaningful climate action looks like, and share our experiences and perspective with others.”
Climate change is one of the most significant and fastest growing threats to people and their cultural heritage worldwide. 2020 will be a critical year for climate action. The CHN aims to foreground the cultural dimensions of global climate action and to create a roadmap that will allow every arts, culture and heritage-related organization to do its part. The 15 members added today contribute immeasurably to that cause.
“With every conversation, every new partner, every opportunity, we advance greater solutions into action. Cultural heritage supports communities towards a low carbon, resilient future. Further, faster, together.”
For more information, contact: Andrew Potts, Climate Heritage Network Secretariat, +1 202 215-0993 andrew.potts@icomos.org.
What is the Climate Heritage Network?
The Climate Heritage Network is a voluntary, mutual support network of local and city, state/provincial and regional, Indigenous Peoples’, and national arts, culture and heritage governmental and quasi-governmental boards, offices, ministries and site management agencies as well as NGOs, universities, businesses and other organizations committed to aiding their communities in tackling climate change and achieving the ambitions of the Paris Agreement. Entities may join on the Climate Heritage Network website.