The cadence of climate: Heritage proxies and social change

Abstract

With the current and coming climate crisis, archaeologists are questioning how best to contribute to multidisciplinary climate change knowledge. In this respect, much work is being undertaken within multidisciplinary conversations on adaptation and resilience. However, less attention has been paid to the other side of the climate change equation: mitigation. Furthermore, less emphasis has been placed on the translation of archaeological research to public understandings of climate change. Cultural heritage offers an analytical tool for bridging archaeological knowledge to the specific socio-political and ethical challenges facing communities today under global climate change. I suggest that cultural heritage can act as a ''proxy'' for transferring the archaeological record into the lived experiences of climate change for individuals and public actors. Moreover, in supporting experiences of change, cultural heritage also builds capacity for mobilizing social change, and therefore is well-suited to advocacy work seeking climate mitigation.The challenges of global climate change (GCC) have been recognized as requiring collaboration between academic disciplines-whether interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary, or transdisciplinary-and with diverse epistemologies, such as those

Securing the Future of Cultural Heritage by Identifying Barriers to and Strategizing Solutions for Preservation under Changing Climate Conditions

“…Lafrenz Samuels [2] argued that cultural heritage can foster social understandings of phenomena that span generations like climate change. As such, understanding barriers is not only the key for scientific progress, but it can be a vital step to support politicians and decision-makers prepare for and manage barriers to climate change impacts [25].…”

“…Cultural heritage consists of non-renewable and irreplaceable resources, which represent the remains of our past and includes society's past investments of economic, physical, natural and intellectual resources [1,2]. Cultural heritage is either a tangible entity (e.g., archeological site, cultural landscape, historic district, historic site, historic building, historic structure, historic object) or cultural practice associated with a way of life (e.g., musical performance, craft production; [3]).…”

Archaeologies of Climate Change: Perceptions and Prospects

“…Archaeology is well placed to play an active role in these negotiations. Not only does archaeology have a key role in heritage building, and, through this, creating resilience (Laven 2015), but cultural heritage can also serve as a motive force for translating the archaeological record into the lived experiences of climate change (Samuels 2016), encouraging adaptation and even mitigation (at least, of some of personal and group socio-cultural impacts) through the embracing of change (Holtorf 2018). Archaeology can also serve as a vehicle for bridging the distance, not only between academics and the community, or the past and the present, but also the local and the global.…”

“…At a time when "archaeologists are questioning how best to contribute to multidisciplinary climate change knowledge" (Samuels 2016, 142), it is clear that archaeology can contribute in many ways and on different levels-from the local to the global. This includes not only the modelling of past and future climate change, but also-through cultural heritage-contribution to adaptation and resilience, and even mitigation (Samuels 2016). Where we recognize the significant cognitive and psychological barriers that limit climate change risk awareness and impede behavioural choices that facilitate adaptation, mitigation, and environmental sustainability (see Gifford 2011), we propose archaeology also has a significant role to play in the public perceptions and awareness of climatic change more broadly.…”

Knowledge co-production in climate adaptation planning of archaeological sites

“…For example, archaeological sites can foster social cohesion and identity among communities, increase community resilience, enhance education and advance scientific knowledge (Appler and Rumbach 2016;Flatman 2009;Hollesen et al 2018). Archeological sites can also enhance capacity for learning and transferring archaeological knowledge into current social contexts and experiences, such as mitigation and adaptation to climate change (Lafrenz Samuels 2016;McVey Erlandson 2012). Furthermore, archaeological sites are important drivers of local and national economies, as they can contribute to increased tourism flows and generate or stimulate the tourism employment sector (Graham 2002;Cullinane Thomas et al 2018).…”