Risk assessment and sustainable protection of Cultural Heritage in changing environment
Disasters and catastrophes pose risks not only to the conservation of the cultural heritage assets with its cultural, historic and artistic values, but also to the safety of visitors, staff and local communities. Additionally they cause undoubtedly negative consequences for the local economies due to the loss of tourism revenues, and for the livelihoods of local people who are dependent on it. ProteCHt2save outcomes will strongly contribute to improve capacities of the public and private sectors to mitigate the impacts of climate change and natural hazards on cultural heritage sites, structures and artefacts. The project focuses primarily on the development of feasible and tailored solutions for building resilience of cultural heritage to floods and events of heavy rain by applying an integrated and transnational comprehensive approach with the aim of implementing regional and local strategies on preparedness measures and evacuation plans in emergency. ProteCHt2save will deliver ICT solutions (inventory and maps) and tools (decision support tool, best practices manual, handbook on transnational rescue procedures) for risk management and protection of cultural heritage in Central Europe. Pilot actions selected on the base of risk prone areas and cultural heritage vulnerabilities will be used to implement and assess the developed ProteCHt2save strategies, and to improve the existing disaster risk management plans and policies in the CE Municipalities. Input to adaptation policies of government organisations thereby promoting improved strategies and plans for the protection of cultural heritage will be ensured as major impact. By the achievement of the planned objectives, ProteCHt2save is expected to proactively target the needs and requirements of stakeholders and policy makers responsible for disaster mitigation and safeguarding of cultural heritage assets and to foster the active involvement of citizens and local communities in the decision making process.