October 16, 2025 | Auditorium of La Pedrera

Sustainability and climate transition

 

The effects of climate change on our daily lives are becoming increasingly evident. Major storms and floods, prolonged periods of drought, increasingly frequent heatwaves and the forecast of rising sea levels are just a few examples. We cannot look the other way. These effects are shaping our present and future, and they must be addressed from a cross-sectoral perspective. Climate transition is a reality.
 
We can see how public habits are changing in the world of cultural heritage: people avoiding the hottest hours, how we must invest in air conditioning and heating systems to control the temperatures of gallery rooms and collection storerooms, how we need to consider shaded and hydration spaces in monuments and outdoor sites, or how the calendar for pest control is changing. Climate transition also affects cultural heritage.
 
We are therefore modifying our actions to continue protecting the cultural heritage in our care. We are conducting studies on this new climate impacts our facilities and receiving advice on matters of sustainability and the effects of this climate transition. But are we really acting appropriately? This year’s Cultural Heritage Day will allow us to reflect on this issue, share our concerns and experiences and, above all, jointly define a path forward to work coherently towards sustainability while taking into account cultural heritage and citizens.

Program of the day

8.45 – 9.15 h | Accreditations
 
9.30 – 9.45 h | Institutional welcome 
Quim Borràs, General Director of Cultural Heritage at the Department of Culture

                   
9.45h –  10.30h | Meteorological heritage and the study of climate change in Catalonia
Eloi Cordomí, meteorologist
                                           
Historical interest in meteorology in Catalonia has helped to compile a highly valuable heritage of data that have been used to conduct a thorough study of the effects and forecasts of climate change in our homeland. This connection is vital for successfully handling the work of adaptation and mitigation that must be performed over the next few years.

10.30h – 10.40h | Question time
 
10.40h – 11.00h | COFFEE BREAK (Sala Gaudí)
 
11.00h – 11.40h | New challenges in cultural heritage management: sustainability and climate change
José Alberto Alonso Campanero, founder of Proskene Conservation & Cultural Heritage

Climate change is transforming the management of our cultural heritage. Promoting mitigation and adaptation strategies presents new challenges for all stakeholders, with the aim of ensuring the conservation of this heritage and making it more resilient.

11.40h – 11.50h | Question time
 
11.50h – 12.30h | How can heritage sciences contribute in times of climate crisis?
Josep Grau-Bové, Director of the Institute for Sustainable Heritage at University College London
                         
The climate crisis represents a political rather than a scientific challenge. Nevertheless, heritage science still has a valuable role to play. It is important to analyse the extent to which climate change is responsible for the degradation of heritage and to identify knowledge gaps. This talk will address issues such as environmental degradation, material and immaterial risks, the demographics of collections and one of the most serious climate risks for heritage: maladaptation.

12.30h – 12.40h | Question time
 
12.40h – 13.20h  | Environmental quality in Catalan cultural heritage facilities: the Emblem of Guarantee of Environmental Quality  
Josep Maria Masip, Head of the Sustainable Production and Consumption Division at the General Directorate of Climate Change and Environmental Quality
                     
This talk will address the role of public administrations in contributing to global environmental challenges and coping with European regulations. It will also present tools for improving the environmental quality of public facilities, paying particular attention to the Emblem of Guarantee of Environmental Quality, as well as providing examples of certified cultural facilities. 

13.20h – 13.30h | Question time
 
13.30h - 15.00h | LUNCH BREAK (free time)

15.00h – 16.40h | Roundtable: Measures, actions and impact of climate change on cultural heritage
Chair: Jordi Medina, Head of the Mediation Department at the Catalan Agency for Cultural Heritage                                          

Mireia Mestre, Director of the Centre for the Restoration of Movable Cultural Heritage of Catalonia (CRBMC)

The latest catastrophic events related to climate change and global warming have also affected cultural heritage and intensified interest in prevention, safeguarding and sustainability. The Centre for the Restoration of Movable Cultural Heritage of Catalonia works with various strategies to promote widespread awareness among the professional community and heritage users about the objective advantages of opting for preventive conservation, prioritising and optimising resources, using green products, and analysing and managing risks in order to ensure the safeguarding of assets.
 
Ecological criteria in exhibition spaces
Anna Alcubierre, founder and Director of alcubierrestudio

Temporary exhibitions that generate permanent waste in cultural centres must be avoided. We have the opportunity of designing exhibition spaces based on ecological criteria, especially for ephemeral exhibits, which have a limited lifespan, a fact that involves the generation of a lot of waste and significant investment in resources and energy with a high environmental cost.                                        
MACBA Planet
Eduard Vicente, Manager of the Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art (MACBA)

MACBA will share its MACBA Planet project, the museum's new environmental policy, with those attending the seminar. Its main objectives include: to reduce its ecological footprint through specific energy efficiency measures, sustainable mobility, responsible consumption and waste management; to foster a culture of sustainability among the museum’s staff and audiences; to integrate environmental criteria into its artistic programming, exhibitions and educational activities; and finally, to collaborate with public and private institutions in order to create synergies and a positive impact.
 
Sustainability and effects of climate change in heritage spaces. A dual perspective from MAC Empúries: the impact on visits and contributions from research
Marta Santos, conservator in the Empúries branch of the Museum of Archaeology of Catalonia (MAC)

A commitment to sustainability and concern for the effects of climate change are key factors today in managing heritage sites such as those belonging to the Museum of Archaeology of Catalonia. In the specific case of Empúries, the increasingly evident impact on public trends and visiting conditions are highlighted. Recent research into the evolution of the area’s environment has also provided predictions with regard to the future impact of rising sea levels and increased storm activity.
 
From the dream of a sustainable museum to the uncomfortable reality of everyday life
Jordi Principal, Director of the History Museum of Catalonia (MHC)

In museums, we work towards achieving increasingly sustainable centres in every sense, driven by a social commitment. However, the daily reality of our buildings, spaces and projects, which is often cruel, makes this goal seem distant, extremely distant... but not unattainable! 

16.40h – 17.00h | Joint discussion
 
17.00 h | Conclusion
 
The seminar will be led by the journalist Elisenda Pineda