IRCI is pleased to share the news that UNESCO has released a publication, Intangible Cultural Heritage Safeguarding and Climate Action in Asia and the Pacific. It examines how communities across Asia and the Pacific draw on ICH, such as traditional crafts, ecological knowledge, and communal rituals, to adapt to and mitigate the impacts of climate change. Through diverse case studies, it highlights both the vulnerabilities and the resilience of living heritage, underscoring the importance of integrating these practices into climate adaptation strategies to foster sustainable, resilient communities and safeguard culture and ecosystems for future generations.

This publication is the result of the Call for Case Studies on Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage and Climate Actions from the Asia-Pacific Region, initiated by the UNESCO Regional Office for East Asia (Beijing Office). IRCI, CRIHAP, ICHCAP, and IRDR have collaboratively supported this initiative by facilitating the collection and publication of research that explores the roles, vulnerabilities, and safeguarding strategies of ICH in the Asia-Pacific region amid climate challenges. IRCI specifically contributed to this initiative by participating in the process of selecting relevant cases and serving as a co-editor for the publication of the volume. It is also noteworthy that three case studies in Bangladesh, Mongolia, and the Philippines, conducted under IRCI’s project, Research on ICH Safeguarding and Disaster Risk Management (FY 2020–2023), were re-examined in the context of climate change and included in this volume.

In line with these initiatives, IRCI is implementing its own project, Research on Intangible Cultural Heritage and Climate Change in the Asia-Pacific Region (FY 2024–2026), to further investigate how climate change threatens ICH rooted in local environments and to identify adaptive strategies that both safeguard ICH and enhance its role in climate action. Building on and complementing the work presented in the new publication, the project aims to produce practical and refined guidelines and tools, while encouraging further actions to support community adaptation and ICH safeguarding.

The full publication is available on the UNESCO Digital Library. Please click here or the cover image below to access.

Intangible Cultural Heritage Safeguarding and
Climate Action in Asia and the Pacific