The importance of information availability for climate change preparedness in the cultural heritage sector: A comparison between the UK and Japan

Abstract

Greenhouse gases produced by human activities are widely accepted to be warming the earth and causing an immediate and observable global impact. This has led to the need for different industry sectors to investigate how climate change will impact their interests. In this context this research looks into what is being done in Japan in the cultural heritage sector through a case study of Itsukushima Shrine. Itsukushima Shrine is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, located on Miyajima Island in Hiroshima Prefecture. Since 1963, tide gauge data from the Japan Meteorological Agency shows that sea levels in the region have been rising and causing an increase in flooding events at the site. This rise mirrors a global increase in sea levels, with many researchers arguing it is a direct result of global warming. Research into global warming and its impacts upon climate systems over the next century strongly suggest that global sea levels will continue to rise. This paper makes use of examples from the United Kingdom to identify ways in which the situation in Japan can be improved. In the UK the cultural heritage industry and researchers have actively sought to investigate, mitigate and adapt to potential threats posed by climate change. Those efforts are helped in part through Government-funded climate change information dissemination and education. This paper details how different sectors are embracing this freely available information to mitigate the impact of climate change on their own interests. Finally, recommendations are made based on the findings from the Itsukushima Shrine case study and also through a detailed appraisal of the UK's approach. These recommendations are applicable to organizations and cultural heritage sites across Japan and would also benefit other sectors.