CCICH2019

Climate change impacts on cultural heritage: Facing the challenge

Coordination Unit

The Coordination Unit (CU) constitutes the supportive tool of the Flexible Mechanism. It is headed by Greece’s representative to the Flexible Mechanism, George Kremlis, and consists of the Representative of Greece for Climate Change, Professor Christos Zerefos; the Chair of the Greek National Committee on Climate Change, Professor Costas Synolakis; the Chair of the Working Group on Climate Change and Cultural Heritage of the Ministry of Culture, Professor Constantinos Kartalis; and the Ambassador Loupas Ekaterini, Coordinator of the Organization Committee of the International Conference on the Impacts of Climate Change on Cultural Heritage. CU is also made up of a Scientific Committee and a Technical Secretariat.

The main tasks of the Coordination Unit are to support and promote the activities of the Flexible Mechanism, to monitor the implementation of the decisions of the Flexible Mechanism, to act as the contact point for all states and International Organizations that officially endorse the Initiative. It is established by Decision of the Greek Prime Minister and it is hosted at the Academy of Athens.

The Coordination Unit works, inter alia, for the promotion of the Greek Initiative in order to raise awareness about the interdependence between natural and cultural heritage, and the common threats and challenges they face because of the climate crisis and its impacts. The Greek Initiative has been presented in events of high importance and great response, such as G20Culture Ministerial (April 2021), Delphi Economic Forum (May 2021), the Event of the American-Greek Chamber of Commerce on Circular Economy (June 2021), the 9th Regional Growth Conference on the climate crisis and sustainable development (June 2021), the All things Energy Forum (June 2021) and 8th International Conference on Sustainable Solid Waste Management (June 2021).

The Coordination Unit organised a high-level side event in the framework of UNFCCC COP26, in Brussels on November 2, 2021, with prominent personalities and key representatives  of international organisations.