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BusinessEdinburgh to host launch of new Climate Heritage Network

Edinburgh to host launch of new Climate Heritage Network

Arts, culture, heritage and climate leaders will gather in Edinburgh on 24-25 October
An international network to mobilise cultural heritage organisations to take urgent action against climate change is to have its official launch in Scotland later this year.

Hosted by Historic Environment Scotland (HES), in partnership with arts, culture and heritage organisations around the world, the Climate Heritage Network Global launch will take place in Edinburgh on 24-25 October. The International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) is staffing the new network.

The Climate Heritage Network will highlight the severity of the threat that climate change poses to cultural heritage and explore the potential of the sector to inspire climate action and support communities in the equitable transition to a low carbon future.

The two-day programme will bring together arts, culture and heritage leaders and climate experts ahead of the 2019 UN Climate Action Summit, which takes place in Santiago, Chile from 2-13 December. It will also lay the foundation for cultural heritage at COP26, which will take place in Glasgow next year.

Edinburgh, the home of the next Climate Heritage Network

Ewan Hyslop, Head of Technical Research & Science at HES, said: “HES has been key in driving the formation of the Climate Heritage Network, and we’re delighted to be hosting the global launch here in Edinburgh, again putting Scotland’s clear commitment to climate action on the world stage.

“Cultural heritage plays a powerful role in shaping identity and connecting people to the places they live. It tells the story of our past, helping us understand how the climate has impacted the historic environment over time, but it also points the way to how we can cut greenhouse gases and adapt for the future.

“We are looking forward to welcoming delegates for discussion and debate which is sure to be challenging and inspiring in equal measure.”

Andrew Potts, Coordinator of the ICOMOS Climate Change & Heritage Working Group, said: “Despite profound connections between climate change and culture, today there are many arts, culture and heritage actors and advocates whose talents have not yet been mobilized on climate change issues. The Climate Heritage Network aims to flip that paradigm.”

The Climate Heritage Network Global launch will take place at the heart of Edinburgh’s Old and New Town World Heritage Site on 24-25 October 2019. For further information, including details of the full programme and how to register, visit https://www.climateheritage.org.

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