Welcome to our second module on Threats to Cultural Heritage(s) and Sustainable Development. We examine how cultural heritage is exposed to—and shaped by—complex, overlapping threats rooted in economic systems, environmental crises, and political governance. We aim to identify and classify these risks and critically assess how they intersect in ways that challenge the very foundations of sustainable development. From chronic underfunding and over-tourism to sea level rise and policy failures, heritage sites, practices, and communities are increasingly vulnerable to systemic pressures beyond commonplace material decay or episodic disaster. We draw on current research, including recent assessments of climate impacts on coastal heritage in China, as an illustration of cultural heritage risk as a multidimensional problem—social, ecological, technological, and political. As we explore the threat environment, we also reflect on the adequacy of existing frameworks such as the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
The module includes an instructor video lecture, readings, and an applied exercise. Our goal is to learn to think critically about threats not as isolated phenomena, but as interconnected processes requiring integrated, participatory, and future-oriented responses. Let’s get started.
| READING 3_Beyond inundation: a comprehensive assessment of sea level rise impact on coastal cultural heritage in China | ||
| FORUM 2: Who Pays? Who benefits? Rethinking Heritage Financing for a Hazard-Filled Future In this discussion, we ask two related foundational questions for the future of cultural heritage: Who pays? As heritage sites and practices face escalating risks from climate change, conflict, and overdevelopment, the economic models underpinning their protection are increasingly under strain. Traditional funding sources—government budgets, philanthropic donations, and multilateral aid—are often insufficient, inconsistent, or vulnerable to political shifts. At the same time, heritage continues to generate economic value through tourism, creative industries, and place branding, raising the question of how these benefits might be harnessed sustainably and equitably. What financing models can ensure long-term stewardship without commodifying or displacing the very communities whose heritage is meant to serve? In this forum, we will discuss various alternative approaches, from community heritage trusts and participatory budgeting to circular economy models and the valuation of cultural ecosystem services (CES). We will also consider whether fair trade frameworks—long applied in agriculture and crafts—might be adapted for heritage economies. Our objective is to explore the tensions between market-based solutions and sustainability and critically assess how economic, social, and environmental models can support and undermine heritage conservation goals. |
