U.S. Climate Heritage Policy in the International Context

This event took place on October 4, 2024. View the event recording here.

Thank you to everyone who joined us for U.S. Climate Heritage Policy in the International Context on Oct. 4 at Georgetown Law!

The event recording is now available for anyone who was unable to attend or just wants to revisit these rich discussions.

Over 150 virtual and in-person attendees joined speakers from European and South American countries, Indigenous nations, and non-governmental organizations around the globe to explore how the U.S. can learn from the experiences of other countries and support Indigenous knowledge to protect cultural heritage from the effects of climate change and utilize historic buildings as climate change mitigation tools.

"Climate change is a global challenge and each country, state, Tribe, town has their own approach for protecting people, buildings, and cultural heritage. When we bring these different perspectives together, we can learn from each other and develop solutions we may not have conceived of alone," said Georgetown Climate Center's Faculty Director Peter Byrne.

Professor Byrne opened the convening along with U.S. Advisory Council on Historic Preservation Chair Sara C. Bronin, who welcomed the diverse audience of federal agency staff, local policymakers, architects, lawyers, advocates, and more. The event was hosted by the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP), Georgetown Climate Center, Georgetown University Law Center, The American Institute of Architects, Cornell Law School, and Cornell Center for Social Sciences.

Conference Agenda & Presentations

Opening Remarks 9:30-10 a.m.

• Professor J. Peter Byrne, John Hampton Baumgartner, Jr. Professor of Real Property Law; Faculty Director, Georgetown Climate Center
• The Honorable Sara C. Bronin, Chair of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation
• Kathleen Lane, Managing Director of Climate Action and Design Excellence, American Institute of Architects

Panel 1: Indigenous Knowledge’s Role in Climate Change Response 10-11:30 a.m.

Indigenous Knowledge offers invaluable insights into understanding, adapting to, and mitigating the impacts of climate change. Incorporating this knowledge into national climate change strategies can improve the effectiveness of national responses.

Moderator: Ashley Fry, Executive Director of the U.S. Department of State-led Cultural Heritage Coordinating Committee, and member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma

Panelists:

• Sarah Forgesson (View presentation slides), a New Zealand-born, Māori archaeologist, Education and Knowledge Director of the ICOMOS/National Geographic project “Preserving Legacies: A Future for our Past" (View presentation slides)
• Luana Campos (View presentation slides), a Brazil-based historian who works with Quilombolos on heritage and climate change matters 

Keynote Speaker: George Kremlis (View presentation slides) 11:30 a.m.- 12:15 p.m.

George Kremlis is the President of the Circular Economy and Climate Institute at the European Public Law Organization, Chairman of the Greek Initiative at the UN level on protecting cultural and natural heritage from the impacts of climate change, and the former Principal Advisor to the Greek Prime Minister on energy, climate, environment and circular economy issues.

Lunch 12:15-1:15 p.m.

Panel 2: Climate Mitigation Strategies Incorporating Heritage 1:15-2:30 p.m.

For governments to have an effective response to climate change, mitigation strategies must be incorporated into all levels of policy. This panel will discuss the importance of centering the re-use of existing and historic buildings as a key tool towards decarbonization and will identify other mitigation strategies that incorporate historic properties as a key element within policy.

Moderator: Erica Avrami (View presentation slides), Expert Member, Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, James Marston Fitch Associate Professor of Historic Preservation at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Architecture Planning and Preservation

Panelists:

• Simon Sturgis (View presentation slides), UK-based architect and expert on decarbonization in the built environment, founder of Targeting Zero, the Carbon Consultancy
• Antonio Jesús Antequera Delgado (View presentation slides), a civil servant in the General Subdirectorate of Management and Coordination of the Cultural Assets at the Ministry of Culture of Spain; oversaw the Spanish government’s report on managing cultural heritage in the face of climate change

Panel 3: Climate Change Adaptation: Domestic Efforts Towards Climate Heritage Policy 2:45-4 p.m.

While climate heritage policy continues to grow in stature on the world stage, at home, individual countries are working to implement domestic policies to support climate heritage. This panel will discuss comprehensive national approaches that center the importance of historic and cultural resources

Moderator: Andrew Potts, Community of Practice Director of Preserving Legacies, member of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation Experts Advisory Committee

Panelists:

• Carlos del Cairo Hurtado (View presentation slides), archaeologist and anthropologist involved in Maritime cultural landscapes, underwater archaeology, and research with coastal communities in Cartagena de Indias.
• Cathy Daly (View presentation slides) was the lead researcher and author for Ireland’s “Climate Change Sectoral Adaptation Plan for Built and Archaeological Heritage,” (2019) and is assisting the Irish government with its implementation. She is a Lecturer in Conservation at the University of Lincoln UK, and research consultant with Carrig Conservation in Ireland.

Closing Remarks 4:00-4:30 p.m.