Climate and Sustainability
The climate crisis poses an urgent threat to tangible and intangible cultural heritage worldwide. We acknowledge our shared responsibility to promote sustainability and build resilience to climate-driven impacts to cultural heritage and have made it one of the core values of our organization.
AIC Endorses Bizot Protocol
The American Institute for Conservation (AIC) recognizes that the climate crisis is an increasing threat to cultural heritage and the world. Evidence has irrefutably shown that carbon emissions play a significant role in causing the crisis. With this urgency in mind, AIC recognizes the value of The Bizot Green Protocol and supports collective adoption and implementation efforts to improve sustainability and reduce the environmental impact of cultural heritage preservation and conservation. The protocol and associated guidelines offer science-based principles, call for proactive and strategic engagement, and lay the groundwork for holistic change.
--Adopted by the AIC Board, November 19, 2024
The Bizot Green Protocol’s call to incorporate sustainable practices into all aspects of our work has broad and powerful implications. As conservation practitioners it is our responsibility to both our planet and the collections we serve to actively participate in reducing our impact on nature and the environment. This includes drawing down our energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Please join us in collaborating with all other stakeholders involved as we navigate through this process ethically and responsibly.
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Climate Resilience Resources for Cultural Heritage
Climate Resilience Resources for Cultural Heritage is the first action item resulting from the work of Held in Trust. To help cultural institutions and heritage sites prepare for and mitigate climate-related environmental hazards, CRR offers free resources to build a climate resilience plan, including an interactive climate risk map, learning modules, and communities of practice.
Assess your Risk
Sustainability Tools in Cultural Heritage (STICH)
Sustainability Tools in Cultural Heritage (STiCH) utilizes quantitative data and case studies to help people working in cultural heritage make educated, sustainable choices to lower the environmental impact of their work.
Calculate your materials
Sustainability Committee
Our Sustainability Committee creates and shares content that highlights sustainable approaches to the preservation of cultural heritage, including conservation, restoration, collections care, preventive care, and sustainable living. Visit our Sustainability Resources page to sign up for their online community and bi-monthly email, listen to their podcast series, and access other resources.
Engage with Resources
Held in Trust
Held in Trust was a multi-year project to evaluate the state of preservation and conservation of tangible and intangible cultural heritage in the United States. The project focused on the intersection of conservation and preservation with nine critical areas of study, one of which was "Climate Crisis and Environmental Impact." Read the Held in Trust report to learn more.
Read the report