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Case Study: The archaeological site of Delos
This report is the fourth of the five (5) reports included in the Deliverable-D4 of the Sub-Action C4.2 entitled “Development of pilot assessments and adaptation guidelines for cultural heritage”. Sub-Action C4.2 is part of the Action C4 of the “LIFE-IP AdaptInGR – Boosting the implementation of adaptation policy across Greece” Programme.
The present deliverable report examines the adaptation to climate change of the cultural heritage category of the archaeological sites and specifically of Delos. The case study was selected following the criteria of geographical location, monumental character, significance, as well as expected vulnerability to climate change. The archaeological site of Delos is a representative example of an archaeological site in Greece, which is distinguished on the one hand for its high cultural value and has been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1990, and on the other hand, its coastal location places it at a high level of vulnerability to the expected climatic changes. The main objective of the present study is to estimate the immediate and long-term expected impacts of climate change on the archaeological site of Delos and outline the guidelines and measures for its adaptation to climate change.
To reach the aforementioned purpose the following procedure is implemented:
- Selected climatic data/indicators, provided by the National Observatory of Athens (NOA), were analysed in order to highlight the main climate changes that may adversely affect the selected sites.
- The characteristics and current situation of the archaeological site were identified, which combined with expected climate changes, produced an assessment of the main risks it will be expected to face.
- The site’s vulnerability to the effects of climate change was estimated following the guidelines set by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
- An integrated adaptation strategy, with measures and actions, for the archaeological site of Delos was developed. The aim is to enhance its resilience through the protection of monuments and their materials, improving/enhancing the safety and functionality of infrastructure facilities, strengthening the institutional framework, early risk response, public and professional awareness and information, as well as continuous monitoring of the impact and evaluation of the effectiveness of the strategic adaptation plan.