The Danish Presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers has put cultural heritage on the agenda, with regard to climate change. At the Nordic conference "Climate, Nature and Cultural Heritage" which took place recently in Narsarsuaq, South Greenland, the dialogue between scientists, senior officials and politicians revolved around cultural heritage.

For once, temperature increases, rising sea levels and more frequent storms were not at the forefront, but on the other hand, the question of how cultural heritage provides new insights into how populations have adapted to climate change.

"There is now new focus on the human dimension in the climate debate. Cultural heritage can provide us with knowledge of people's ability to relate to and adjust to the effects of climate change - in the past as in the future", says Greenland's Minister for Culture, Education, the Church and Research, Mimi Karlsen.

The conference, which was planned in a close collaboration between the Greenland National Museum, the Council of Ministers and the Heritage Agency, is part of the Danish Programme for the Presidency 2010, culture for the future.

"The climate discussion is complex. I am pleased that we now also have the scientists' humanistic approach. The conference shows that cultural heritage can contribute to an understanding of why and how future climate impact on the environment and living conditions can be handled", says the Director of the Heritage Agency, Steen Hvass.

The Heritage Agency will now pass on the experiences of cultural heritage and climate to Finland, which will take over the Presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers next year.

Anna Enemark
Phone +45 29 69 29 23
Email anen@norden.org