Climate change not only affects the economy and the environment but also has a significant impact on the preservation of cultural heritage. Changing climatic conditions result in altered degradation mechanisms for various materials—such as stone, metal, wood, or organic substances.

Depending on the latitude, certain mechanisms will become more pronounced, leading to an increase in specific types of damage in the near and distant future. Other mechanisms, however, will play only a minor role in the future weathering of monuments and objects. Additionally, it is expected that both the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events will increase, potentially damaging or destroying monuments and entire collections.

Climate change will affect not only art and cultural assets located outdoors, which have always been exposed to the elements, but also those kept indoors, and even artifacts still buried underground or covered by thick layers of ice.

This lecture addresses the facts and effects of climate change with a specific focus on its impact on cultural heritage preservation. In addition to theoretical foundations, the course will cover “slow events” and “fast events” as well as climate risks, and will discuss various strategies for mitigating impacts and the need for further research.

written exam

Language of instruction: English (unless all participants are German-speaking).