What it means for the historic environment
Climate change is one of the most important and urgent problems facing us today.
The direct impacts of a changing climate will have major adverse effects on
society as well as our historic environment including many buildings, sites
and landscapes. If action is not taken to adapt to the changing climate and
to limit further changes, it is likely that these will be permanently damaged
and the cultural, social and economic benefits they provide would also be lost.
The significance and importance of these historical assets can be lost if the
adaptation and improvements are poorly designed. Therefore any damage and loss
to these valuable assets have to be taken into account when adaptation and mitigation
responses are being planned and executed.
Direct impacts of climate change on the historic environment is due to the
following:
* Rising sea levels
* Increased extremes of wetting and drying weather conditions
* More frequent intense rainfall
* Changes in hydrology
* Changes in vegetation patterns
* warming climate
* Changes in the distribution of pests
* Increases in the frequency or geographical range of extreme weather conditions.
Some adaptive responses to climate change may themselves have an impact on
the historic environment, Examples are: ‘hard’ and ‘soft’
coastal defenses (salt marsh), new flood defenses, the provision of new and
more effective rainwater disposal or storage systems or flood protection features
and alteration of agricultural and forestry practices.
With developments designed to generate renewable energy can have a wide variety
of impacts of policies to mitigate future climate change by inititating following
measures.
* Construction of new renewable energy infrastructure ie. Hydro-electric
and tidal plants and onshore and offshore wind farms
* The re-use of existing coppiced woodland
* Minimizing physical impacts on the historic fabric of buildings, ensuring
reversibility wherever practicable
* Well designed energy-saving measures can make considerable savings with
little or no damage to the historic character and fabric of the buildings
as well as to landscapes.
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