Join the launch of the Urban Heritage Climate Observatory

Blog / April 12, 2021

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Climate change is one of the most critical issues of our time and its impact on World Heritage properties is more evident than ever. How can Earth observation data and tools support and promote actions to improve heritage protection, particularly in urban areas?

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Centre with the Greek GEO Office is launching the new GEO Urban Heritage Climate Observatory (UHCO) Community Activity on 26 April, 12:00 – 14:00 hrs CEST with an open online event. This launch event marks the official inauguration of UHCO as a new Community Activity in the GEO Work Programme, and aims to bring together experts and stakeholders from the relevant fields of climate change, Earth observation and urban heritage.

UHCO serves as a forum for partners to share practices, needs and expertise; to match user needs with Earth observation data; to enrich and coordinate monitoring, and management of urban heritage; and for communication and advocacy related to climate action. The ultimate goal is to develop a global platform to collect and integrate Earth observations and complementary data, information and relevant indicators to address the risks and impacts of climate change on urban heritage and enable appropriate adaptation measures.

The UHCO launch on 26 April is open to all interested parties and will be held in English. As part of the launch event, a separate working meeting will also be held on 27 April to bring together members of the UHCO Community Activity   to discuss the planned activities and the way forward.

To register for the UHCO launch event on 26 April, please click here  .

The full agenda is available here.

Agenda at a glance:  

Opening remarks

• Evangelos Gerasopoulos, Greek GEO Office
• Mechtild Rössler, UNESCO World Heritage Centre
• Gilberto Câmara, GEO Secretariat

 Keynote speeches

• George Kremlis, Office of the Prime Minister, Greece
  • A Greek initiative with the United Nations: Flexible mechanism to protect cultural heritage and monuments of nature from climate impacts
• Joanna Post, UNFCCC Secretariat
  • The role of Earth observations to implement adaptation under the Paris Agreement
• Shannon McDaniel, Global Covenant of Mayors
  • Earth observation needs for cities to prepare for climate change impacts
• Cristina Ananasso, European Commission DG Defence Industry and Space
  • Copernicus contribution to the cultural heritage community of users

UHCO presentations

• Jyoti Hosagrahar, UNESCO World Heritage Centre
  • UNESCO World Heritage Cities Programme
• Evangelos Gerasopoulos, Greek GEO Office
  • Urban Heritage Climate Observatory: A new GEO Community Activity

Panel discussion and closing moderated by Sara Venturini, GEO Secretariat