ABSTRACT
Attention to climatic changes and their potential socioeconomic effects will be necessary to assess the implications for cultural heritage protection and management. Following the massive destruction of World War II, recognition and valuation of cultural heritage advanced considerably, especially regarding its material 'tangible' manifestations. Brief observations on international provisions for managing climate change, armed conflict, migration, government authority, and financing, as well as evidence for the interrelationship of these factors, are followed by suggestions for a viable approach to cultural heritage stewardship in an uncertain and challenging future. New approaches will build on concepts evolved over the past half century, including the recognition of heritage as a global public good while also an integral aspect of local community identity, responsibility, and socioeconomic benefit. A practical system for documentation, protection, and management of cultural heritage in anticipation of future conditions and challenges could focus on specific heritage places and practices in a three-part approach including awareness, assessment, and action.
