Join the launch of the Urban Heritage Climate Observatory

Climate change is one of the most critical issues of our time and its impact on World Heritage properties is more evident than ever. How can Earth observation data and tools support and promote actions to improve heritage protection, particularly in urban areas?

The UNESCO World Heritage Centre with the Group on Earth Observation (GEO) and the  Greek GEO Office is launching the new GEO Urban Heritage Climate Observatory (UHCO) on 26 April, 12:00 – 14:00 hrs CET with an open online event. The collaboration aims to apply the tools of Earth Observation to the understand and document the impact of Climate Change on World Heritage cities. This launch event aims to bring together experts and stakeholders from the relevant fields of climate change, Earth observation and urban heritage.

UHCO serves as a forum for partners to share practices, needs and expertise; to match user needs with Earth observation data; to enrich and coordinate monitoring, and management of urban heritage; and for communication and advocacy related to climate action. The ultimate goal is to develop a global platform to collect and integrate Earth observations and complementary data, information and relevant indicators to address the risks and impacts of climate change on urban heritage and enable appropriate adaptation measures.

The UHCO launch on 26 April is open to all interested parties and will be held in English. 

To register for the UHCO launch event on 26 April, please click here.

The full agenda is available further below on this page.

Agenda at a glance:  

Opening remarks

• Mechtild Rössler, UNESCO World Heritage Centre
• Evangelos Gerasopoulos, Greek GEO Office
• Gilberto Câmara, GEO Secretariat

Keynote speeches

• George Kremlis, Office of the Prime Minister, Greece
  A Greek initiative with the United Nations: Flexible mechanism to protect cultural heritage and monuments of nature from climate impacts
• Joanna Post, UNFCCC Secretariat
  The role of Earth observations to implement adaptation under the Paris Agreement
• Cristina Ananasso, European Commission DG Defence Industry and Space
  Copernicus contribution to the cultural heritage community of users
• Shannon McDaniel, Global Covenant of Mayors
  Earth observation needs for cities to prepare for climate change impacts

UHCO presentations

• Jyoti Hosagrahar, UNESCO World Heritage Centre
  UNESCO World Heritage Cities Programme
• Evangelos Gerasopoulos, Greek GEO Office
  Urban Heritage Climate Observatory: A new GEO Community Activity

Panel discussion and closing moderated by Sara Venturini, GEO Secretariat.