Heritage Declares

Heritage Declares is a non-affiliated group of heritage practitioners who have come together to urge the sector to react more quickly and effectively to the climate and ecological emergency. In October 2019 we launched a Declaration, setting out ten principles for a more sustainable sector. We encourage both individuals and organisations to sign the Declaration, as an expression of their commitment to tackling the greatest challenge of our time. We believe that the heritage sector can play a crucial role in shaping public opinion and action on climate and ecological issues – especially among sections of the public who are not naturally sympathetic to more familiar forms of eco-activism. Heritage also has much to offer a more sustainable world, for example in terms of preserving and reusing existing buildings, promoting traditional and sustainable construction and land management techniques, and reducing air- and car-based tourism in favour of greener alternatives. Heritage Declares is distinct from other sustainability initiatives within the sector in that we are a non-technical, grassroots movement that aims to push the environmental crisis to the top of the heritage agenda.