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From the SHPO
State Historic Preservation Officer Julianne Polanco shares some thoughts on last year’s UN Climate Change Conference, and California’s focus as climate goals move forward into the new year:
In November of 2021, I was honored to attend the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow, Scotland as an official observer. As a member of the Climate Heritage Network delegation and an official representative of California, participation included several speaking engagements, attending sessions, and meeting with partners. It was two weeks of ongoing activity as I listened to and learned from the multitude of sessions taking place both virtually and in person.
Topics covered included, among others, regeneration, rehabilitation, and resource efficiency in the built environment, carbon calculators for heritage buildings, and engaging vulnerable front-line communities in valuing cultural heritage as part of a larger landscape to create sustainable solutions. In addition to moderating sessions, I presented on topics such as our efforts to create a climate vulnerability index (CVI) assessment tool that is inclusive of the values of tribal and local communities to provide for greater stewardship of cultural heritage in climate change solutions. Simultaneously, the high-level government delegates were meeting to discuss the broader concepts for global consideration–all in an effort to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement.
I left Glasgow saturated with ideas, concepts, and actions to carry forward. Collaboration with partners such as Historic Environment Scotland, ICLEI (Local Governments for Sustainability), the American Institute of Architects, and the Climate Heritage Network, made California and the OHP’s role in climate efforts seem more connected and possible.
Beyond the reported outcomes of COP26, I believe the real progress and success of the conference was in the collective efforts of people at the local, state, and regional levels understanding the immediate threats to their way of life and looking for ways to collaborate for greater climate ambition.
That ambition is present as well in Governor Newsom’s recently proposed budget, where climate change is front and center. The proposal emphasizes that climate action and economic growth go hand in hand, and the cost of inaction is too high. The focus for California is to lead, learn from, and benefit from collaborations with partners, seeking adaptation and mitigation solutions and integrating equity into all climate efforts. It is a bold and important budget proposal that is situated to meet the urgency before us.
Tackling the climate crisis, centering on equity and justice, involves cultural values, human values. Cultural heritage actors play an immense role in integrating natural and cultural values in ways that move communities toward a low carbon and resilient future. The time to act is now; I hope you will join us! Further, faster, together!
Visit the OHP Climate Action page to learn more about the work of the OHP and California in addressing the climate crisis.
Image: SHPO Polanco and Dr. Ewan Hyslop, Historic Environment Scotland, moderate the COP26 session, "A Culture of Resilience: Launch of the Climate Heritage Network Race to Resilience Campaign." Jordi Pascual, United Cities and Local Governments, is onscreen.
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