The news of rain damaging Caravaggio’s Bacchus—which quickly spread worldwide—is a stark example of the climate crisis in action. This summer’s extreme heat only underscores the reality: climate change is here, and Europe’s cultural heritage is not immune. Floods, wildfires, extreme temperatures, humidity, and pollution now threaten artworks and monuments that have survived for centuries.
While most Europeans are only now waking up to the far-reaching consequences, scientists have been sounding the alarm for decades. In fact, the European Union has been funding environmental and sustainability projects for 20 years, with a focus on climate’s impact on heritage. These early efforts established tools and protocols still used today.
The European Green Deal (launched in 2019 to make Europe climate-neutral by 2050) expanded this focus, dedicating specific funding to the intersection of heritage and climate.
Under its latest funding program, the EU introduced the “Adaptation to Climate Change” Mission, which includes targeted actions to protect cultural heritage. One standout initiative is “Climate-resilient cultural heritage”, aimed at developing innovative solutions to safeguard sites and artworks from extreme events like floods, fires, and storms. Projects such as “RESILIENCE” (2023–2026) have already tested early warning systems for museums and archaeological sites, introducing technologies that enable rapid response to emerging risks.
Another key project, Demonstrating solutions to protect and preserve cultural heritage from climate change impacts”, seeks to prove the effectiveness of practical solutions for heritage protection. These efforts are supported by new funding calls for advanced monitoring technologies, including drones and IoT sensors, to continuously track at-risk sites. Additionally, researchers are testing “climate-proof” materials for restoration, such as anti-pollution varnishes, moisture-resistant plasters, and UV-filtering glass. Tailored adaptation plans are also being developed for cities and regions hosting UNESCO World Heritage sites to mitigate climate-related damage.
The EU, in short, is stepping up. And for good reason: according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)—the leading scientific authority on climate, established in 1988 by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP)—20% of Europe’s UNESCO sites could suffer severe damage from extreme climate events by 2050.
The science is clear on the causes, mitigation strategies, and resilience measures. The solutions exist. What’s still missing is the collective will to act on them.
