Europa Nostra presents Global Call to embed Culture into Climate Policy at United Cities and Local Government Summit in Dublin
United Cities and Local Government (UCLG) held its 5th Culture Summit in Dublin between 27 November and 1 December. Europa Nostra contributed to the session on Culture, Climate and Eco Transitions, which sought to connect the climate emergency with cultural policies, and presented the Global Call to embed Culture into Climate Policy at COP 28.
At the @uclg_org Summit yesterday, our Policy Officer Ted Oakes presented the Global Call to include #Culture in climate action 💬 “Whatever the outcome of #COP28, this campaign will continue until culture is on the agenda globally”✍️ https://t.co/yUjpp5dWVh #CultureAtCOP28 https://t.co/KYG7iWaGdZ
— European Heritage Hub (@EurHeritageHub) November 30, 2023
It is widely accepted that new and ambitious programmes and initiatives by cultural actors on climate emergency and eco transitions need to be adopted and implemented. One of the most important points raised during the session was the need to engage with all non-governmental stakeholders, in particular cultural partners at all levels.
Europa Nostra’s Policy Coordinator Ted Oakes reminded the summit that not only is the Global Call to Action a request to the national governments party to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to adopt a process where climate action is bolstered by harnessing culture, with heritage-based solutions to the climate crisis scaled up around the world; but it is also an endeavour to unite and empower the culture sector, and bring together a coalition of actors necessary to influence decision-making in this area.
The Global Call is succeeding in this key aim, and over 1,000 cultural organisations, leaders and practitioners have already signed the call. The European Heritage Hub is leading the campaign in Europe. The draft Call to Action itself was launched and workshopped during the European Heritage Hub Forum ‘Reimagining the Anthropocene: Putting Culture and Heritage at the Heart of Climate’, which took place in September 2023 in Venice.
Today we're at the @uclg_org Global Cultural Summit in Dublin 🇮🇪, bringing together cities, local governments & organisations commited to #culture & #sustainability 🏙️ Great discussions on how #CapitalsOfCulture in Europe & Africa can be meeting points for celebration & exchange! pic.twitter.com/xqn2UtwUqK
— Europa Nostra (@europanostra) November 28, 2023
A Europa Nostra delegation will be attending COP 28 in December 2023, in Abu Dhabi, and bring this message from this coalition, advocating to those national governments party to the UNFCCC to remind them that culture and heritage must not be left on the sidelines of the Conference outcomes. And whatever the decision to be made in Abu Dhabi, this campaign will continue until culture is on the agenda globally.
