Climate Heritage Statement
Photo: Sand dunes over Western Australia (USDS on Unsplash)
At GML and Context we understand climate change to be one of the most urgent and pressing issues facing our planet and life.
Across the globe we are experiencing increasing temperatures, with rising sea levels, ocean warming and climbing greenhouse gas emissions. Weather events are more intense and extreme. Fire, flood and drought have become more frequent. If we are to address the adverse impacts of climate change we require accelerated global action.
Climate change threatens our cultural heritage. New approaches will be required to plan, manage, conserve and present cultural heritage. Risk management, preparedness and adaptation are necessary to building the resilience of our heritage and communities protecting it for future generations.
GML is committed to engaging in conversations about planning for the future of our cultural heritage to enable it to face climate change impacts. We are a member of the Climate Heritage Network and have committed to addressing climate change and the ambitions of the Paris Agreement. While acknowledging and highlighting that cultural heritage is impacted by the effects of climate change, we also consider it to be a significant resource for climate action.
We believe there is much that the past can teach us about adapting to changing environments and creating resilient communities, places and buildings. As heritage professionals, we have a responsibility to stay informed and to exchange knowledge to ensure that the future of our cultural heritage is secure.
At GML we are committed to:
- Showing leadership in our workplaces and in our communities by advocating climate action consistent with the science.
- Striving to ensure that our work is not contributing to the threat by not supporting carbon intensive and environmentally destructive activities and industries.
- Ensuring our decision-making frames and processes considers climate change, resilience and sustainability.
- Participating in and advocating for high quality research into the current and future effects of climate change on cultural heritage.
- Reducing our own carbon footprint (e.g. by reducing energy use and increasing energy efficiency, switching to renewable energy, reducing waste, reducing personal transport emissions, purchasing carbon offsets for electricity and gas use and transport, including air travel).
