Integrating cultural heritage and climate policy? Insights from UNESCO world heritage cities

We explore how cultural heritage impacts climate policies in UNESCO World Heritage cities, where changes to the built environment are limited. Drawing on qualitative case study research in the German World Heritage cities of Lübeck, Regensburg, and Bamberg, we reveal that significant departmental conflicts between heritage and climate practitioners further complicate the implementation of climate policies. However, we also find that compact and lively historic city centers can contribute to the sustainability of a city, which also benefits climate policies. Nevertheless, a large-scale transformation towards climate-neutral and climate-resilient cities requires new approaches and a rethinking of rigid monument protection principles. A fundamental shift within UNESCO is needed, as the organization has indeed framed the climate crisis as a threat to heritage sites, yet fails to recognize how its own policies may complicate efforts to address it in historic cities.