The Heritage Adapts to Climate Alliance (HACA) just published a position paper recommending key improvements for integrating cultural heritage into the UN's Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA). Developed with input from heritage and climate practitioners around the world, this paper responds to the recently released indicators and policy provisions that are being refined and finalized for potential adoption at COP30 in Brazil this November. 

There is a narrow window to shape what moves forward. From June 16-26, negotiators and experts will gather in Bonn, Germany for the Subsidiary Bodies meeting (SB62), a pivotal round of sessions to hone these adaptation measures. HACA’s paper aims to inform these discussions, helping to advance cultural heritage as a core component of climate adaptation.  

Take action now (before June 26!)

📄 Read the full position paper (PDF)
🖊️ Sign on here - we're updating signatories on a rolling basis through the end of SB62, June 26.
📣 Share it widely with your network
🤝Join HACA and become part of the movement‍

How we got here‍

Cultural heritage is both uniquely vulnerable to climate change and a powerful resource for building resilient communities. Yet, for too long, it has been overlooked in climate adaptation planning and policy. That all changed in 2023 at COP28 when work to develop the Paris Agreement’s Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA) began in earnest. Its adoption of the UAE Framework for Global Climate Resilience (UFGCR) marked a historic breakthrough:

‍For the first time, protecting cultural heritage was explicitly named as a target of international climate adaptation policy.

HACA was formed to ensure that cultural heritage plays a robust role within this new framework, leveraging our collective expertise to support the UAE-Belém work programme as it develops indicators for potential adoption at COP30 this November. These indicators are the foundation for tracking progress and driving accountability, turning recognition on paper into real-world impact.

The time is now

On May 23, 2025, the UNFCCC released its first look at 62 draft indicators (narrowed down from 282) and a progress report that will guide discussions at the upcoming Subsidiary Bodies meeting (SB62) in Bonn from June 16–26. This is a critical juncture for cultural heritage as the decisions made here will shape the policies adopted at COP30 and beyond.

Why the HACA position paper matters

This is where the HACA position paper makes a difference: by ensuring that the new indicators and policy provisions are developed with intention, rigor, and equity. Ultimately, the way these indicators are designed can unlock climate finance, provide decision-making support, and guarantee that adaptation strategies reflect the knowledge, priorities, and needs of local and Indigenous communities. By centering heritage in these global frameworks, we can turn policy recognition into tangible resources and resilience for those on the front lines of climate change.

Key Recommendations

Realizing the full potential of cultural heritage in climate adaptation requires innovative, effective, and measurable indicators. The HACA position paper offers clear, actionable recommendations to ensure that heritage is not only recognized but meaningfully integrated throughout global adaptation efforts. They include:

• Clarify Definitions and Frameworks - Current indicators lack clear definitions for key terms like cultural heritage, heritage sites, and cultural practices. A shared glossary is essential for consistency, comparability, and inclusion.
• Balance What Gets Measured - The draft indicators lean heavily on process and percentage-based metrics, while neglecting outcomes, impacts, and qualitative measures. HACA calls for more direction-of-travel indicators and a better mix across the adaptation cycle.
• Safeguard Indigenous and Local Knowledge - Indicators referencing Indigenous or local knowledge must be paired with protections like free, prior, and informed consent (FPIC) to avoid top-down or extractive practices.
• Integrate Heritage Across Sectors - Cultural heritage should not be siloed. It must be embedded across adaptation targets like water, nature, food, and infrastructure as a cross-cutting asset for resilience.
• Promote Inclusive, Locally Led Processes - Adaptation must be participatory. Indicators should better reflect inclusive, multi-level governance and the leadership of frontline communities, including youth.
• Prevent Maladaptation and Harm - Current metrics do not adequately track unintended consequences. HACA calls for indicators that help prevent maladaptation and recognize the adaptive value of cultural heritage itself.

What's next

The position paper has already been endorsed by a growing list of experts, institutions, and advocates from around the world—but the list is still open. If your work connects to culture, climate, or equity, we hope you’ll join us in advocating for a clearer, fairer, and more effective adaptation framework.

📄 Read the full position paper (PDF)
🖊️ Sign on here

Let’s ensure cultural heritage is not just included in climate policy but meaningfully and measurably supported!