Climate change and culture: Two perspectives on a global challenge

COP31
12 November 2026, h. 13:30–15:00 TRT (11:30–13:00 CET) | Antalya EXPO Center, Antalya, Türkiye – Italy Pavilion

The recognition of cultural heritage in climate policies has advanced significantly, with COP30 in Belém marking a historic step forward within the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA). The COP31 side event “Climate change and culture: Two perspectives on a global challenge” will explore the relationship between climate change and cultural heritage through two complementary perspectives, addressing both the decarbonisation and environmental improvement of built heritage and the role of artistic and architectural research in the global dialogue on climate change, biodiversity loss, and planetary health.

The event, hosted as part of the Italian Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security (MASE) events programme, will take place at the Italy Pavilion (Antalya EXPO Center, Antalya, Türkiye) on Wednesday, 12 November 2026, from 13:30–15:00 TRT (11:30–13:00 CET). It is co-organized by the Institute of Heritage Science of the National Research Council of Italy (CNR ISPC), the European Research Infrastructure for Heritage Science (E-RIHS), Climate Heritage Network, Europa Nostra, ICOMOS and ICOMOS Turkey, ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability, Architecture 2030, Builtbuildings.org and the Decarbonising the Built Environment through Heritage campaign, Preserving Legacies and the Heritage Adapts! 3000×2030 campaign, the CMCC Foundation – Euro-Mediterranean Center on Climate Change, Fondation des Sciences du Patrimoine, the European Partnership for Resilient Cultural Heritage, the EU-funded Interreg NEXT MED Programme, and JPI Climate.

The first section will focus on the energy and environmental improvement of built heritage, bringing together eight high-level experts for a roundtable discussion on policies, research, strategy, and implementation. The discussion will address widespread stereotypes and misconceptions, adopting a joint adaptation and mitigation perspective.

In the second section, the AAC Platform will present a talk with Camilla Boemio, followed by the screening of Albatross II, an internationally exhibited, research-led video installation by Mathew Emmett. Investigating avian influenza as a symptom of ecological degradation, the work examines the relationship between environmental destruction, industrial agriculture, and pandemic emergence, demonstrating how artistic and architectural research can contribute to global dialogue on climate change, biodiversity loss, and planetary health.

The panel will feature contributions from experts in cultural heritage, climate science, research, sustainable development, and heritage conservation, including Filippo Calcerano, CNR ISPC and E-RIHS, Andrew Potts, Climate Heritage Network, Preserving Legacies, Europa Nostra, and ICOMOS, Alexandre Caussè, Fondation des Sciences du Patrimoine and European Partnership for Resilient Cultural Heritage, Martin Heibel, Interreg NEXT MED Programme, Giulia Galluccio, CMCC Foundation and JPI Climate, Letizia Martinelli, CNR ISPC, Cristina Garzillo, ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability, Ave Paulus, ICOMOS, and Lori Ferris, Builtbuildings.org, Architecture 2030, and Heritage Now!.

This event is one of the several CMCC contributions to COP31, the 31st edition of the Conference of the Parties (COP) organized by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

COP31 is a major United Nations climate conference that brings together world leaders, non-governmental organizations, and experts to negotiate and advance global actions to address climate change. The conference will focus on implementing international climate agreements and promoting sustainable development through priority actions to tackle the climate crisis.