Unlocking the Potential of Heritage for Climate Action

Cities Alliance co-organizes an event on unlocking the potential of historic, existing, and indigenous built environment solutions for climate action at the upcoming Buildings and Climate Global Forum in Paris on 7-8 March 2024. 

The existing built environment symbolizes cultural identity, traditional knowledge, and historical significance, offering vital insights into climate-friendly construction and operation. Traditional building practices, resilient and low-carbon, hold immense potential for effective housing, mitigation, and adaptation globally. However, the sector faces challenges, including a lack of recognition and integration into climate policy and insufficient cross-sector partnerships.

This event aims to highlight the significant climate mitigation and adaptation opportunities within existing and historic buildings and traditional knowledge, and why preserving historic and indigenous built environments and the associated knowledge is crucial for implementing the Buildings Breakthrough initiative.

The discussions will raise awareness of the necessity of integrating built heritage into climate policy and emphasize the urgency of retrofitting and reusing existing buildings. It aims to showcase the value of indigenous knowledge in climate solutions and to identify governance arrangements, financing initiatives, and collaborators needed for effective action. The session also intends to showcase how technology, local materials, and architectural approaches can pave the way for scalable models of sustainable development.

Greg Munro, Director of Cities Alliance, will share insights on lessons from heritage cities for sustainable urban planning. 

Keynote: Unlocking the transformative potential of the heritage and existing built environment to accelerate sectoral climate action. Andrew Potts, Climate Heritage Network

Panel discussions:

• Heritage Potential for a Durable and Equitable Buildings Breakthrough
• Retrofitting for Mitigation and Adaptation
• (Re)Learning from Heritage and Traditional Building

Moderators: 

• Lori Ferriss, Climate Heritage Network
• Kelly Alvarez Doran, Architecture 2030

Speakers: 

• Greg Munro, Director, Cities Alliance
• Andreas Jäger, Senior Expert at ICLEI
• Costanza Miliani, Director, Istituto di Scienze del Patrimonio Culturale (ISPC)
• Graciela Melitsko Thornton, Creative Green Program Lead, Julie’s Bicycle
• Rosie Paul, Principal, Masons, Inc
• Yasmeen Lari (AAPi DESIGN) 

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