Under the motto “Ground Check 2020. Cultural Heritage and Climate Change”, the Archaeological Heritage Network (ArcHerNet) of the German Archaeological Institute organized a series of online discussions with internationally renowned scientists. Various questions relating to the interactions between people, cultural heritage, the environment and climate change were investigated in six events. The most important questions were: What influence did climate changes have on the environmental conditions? How did people react to these changes in the past and how can these reactions be reconstructed using today’s scientific methods? And what can we learn from the past?
In addition, the question of how the people of that time coped with droughts and which water management strategies they developed for life in arid regions and deserts is discussed. On the other hand, our current cultural heritage is increasingly threatened by global warming and rising sea levels. The effects of climate change affect not only the distant Pacific islands, but also the coasts of Europe and even the arctic and subarctic regions, where the thawing of permafrost is destroying the frozen cultural heritage of the descendant communities.
The individual online discussions can be viewed free of charge on the Facebook and YouTube channels of the German Archaeological Institute.
Check it out!