The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) has issued a new strategic study titled “Member States’ Strategy to Enhance the Role of Culture and Heritage in Addressing Climate Change,” as part of efforts to firmly anchor culture and heritage within national and international climate and sustainable development policies and strengthen their presence in global debates on rapidly evolving environmental challenges.

The study is among the first specialized strategic studies in the Islamic world to present an integrated scientific and institutional vision of the relationship between culture, heritage, and climate change. It adopts an approach that moves beyond viewing heritage solely as an element threatened by the climate crisis toward recognizing it as an active contributor to response and adaptation solutions and strengthening community resilience.

Spanning more than 440 pages, the study is based on a multidisciplinary methodology that brings together heritage sciences, climate studies, strategic analysis, digital technologies, and cultural policies. It addresses key themes, including an assessment of the impacts of climate change on cultural and natural heritage sites and an analysis of the climate risks facing ICESCO Member States, such as heat waves, desertification, water scarcity, and floods.

The study also reviews the role of modern technologies, including artificial intelligence and 3D scanning, in documenting and safeguarding heritage, while highlighting the importance of traditional knowledge and local community practices in supporting climate adaptation efforts. It devotes significant attention to examining ways to develop cultural and institutional policies capable of integrating heritage into national climate strategies.

The study was prepared under the supervision of ICESCO’s Islamic World Heritage Center, coordinated by Dr. Bilel Chebbi, expert at the Center, with the participation of a select group of experts and researchers from across the Islamic world.

ICESCO makes the full study, along with its executive summary, available to researchers, stakeholders, and decision-makers via the following links:

https://icesco.org/0m4d
https://icesco.org/1smg