The Routledge Handbook on Cultural Heritage and Climate Justice

This volume contains contributions from over 60 authors from 20 countries exploring the importance of climate justice and equity in climate action. While focused on cultural heritage, its relevance extends into other fields including policy, just transitions, development studies and climate adaptation. Its central message is that climate action and climate justice are inseparable in our response to the climate crisis.

Key cross-cutting themes explored in 25 contributions and ten information boxes include economic and non-economic loss and damage with a particular focus on intangible cultural heritage, the importance of plural ways of knowing and bridging different epistemologies, the intersectionality of risk, loss and action with a particular focus on the historical and ongoing impacts of colonialism and other forms of historical injustice and the importance of community-centred approaches to climate action including climate literacy and education.

This book is targeted widely to those both within and outside of the heritage sector. It addresses themes of importance to those working in heritage practice and research, policy development and climate adaption and mitigation. It will also be of relevance to those working with communities impacted by climate change.

Author Biography

Mesut Dinler is an Assistant Professor in the Interuniversity Department of Regional and Urban Studies and Planning at Politecnico di Torino. His research investigates how heritage can contribute to sustainable and resilient futures, integrating digital tools and data-driven methodologies to develop heritage-centred approaches to broader social and environmental challenges. He has contributed to several international research projects and has received fellowships from ICCROM, ICOMOS, and FWO.

William Megarry is Reader in Archaeology in the School of Natural and Built Environment at Queen’s University Belfast. His research explores the intersections between cultural heritage and climate change with a particular focus on risk assessment and climate literacy. Between 2021 and 2024 he was the Focal Point for Climate Change at the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS). He is Principal Investigator of the Preserving Legacies project.