Many of the world’s most important archaeological sites are located in the Mediterranean Basin. Long-standing threats to this archaeological heritage include rapidly increasing tourism, mismanaged development, poor excavation and looting, lack of conservation. Climate change exacerbates these risks and poses an increasing and potentially catastrophic danger to the world’s archaeological heritage. Bringing together climate scientists and heritage practitioners, this expert panel will discuss how climate change is impacting archeological sites and potential responses to dealing with this crisis.

The conference Archaeological Heritage in a Changing Climate: Confronting Threats, Sustaining Futures, of which this panel is a part, has been co-organized by the Getty Conservation Institute and the Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche. It is an expert meeting and is closed to the public.

The event will be held in English.

Program

Welcome
Caroline Goodson, Andrew W. Mellon Humanities Professor, American Academy in Rome

Introduction
Tim Whalen, John E. and Louise Bryson Director, Getty Conservation Institute

Moderator
Susan Macdonald, Head of Buildings and Sites, Getty Conservation Institute

Panelists

Patrick Gonzalez, Climate Change Scientist, Forest Ecologist, & Associate Adjunct Professor, University of California, Berkeley 

Mairi H. Davies, Climate Change Policy Manager, Historic Environment Scotland (HES) 

Tiziana D’Angelo, Director of the Archaeological Park of Paestum and Velia

Others panelists to be confirmed.

Biographies

Dr Patrick Gonzalez is a climate change scientist, forest ecologist, and Associate Adjunct Professor at the University of California, Berkeley. He advances science-based action on human-caused climate change to protect nature and people through research on climate change, ecosystems, and carbon solutions and assistance to local people and policymakers. Dr. Gonzalez previously served as Principal Climate Change Scientist of the U.S. National Park Service and Assistant Director for Climate and Biodiversity of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.

Dr Mairi H. Davies is Climate Change Policy Manager at Historic Environment Scotland (HES), supporting the organization in leadership on climate change and delivery of its Climate Action Plan 2020-25. She is currently Co-Chair of the European Association of Archaeologists’ Climate Change and Heritage Community.

Dr Tiziana D’Angelo is the Director of the Archaeological Park of Paestum and Velia. Her professional experience spans the academic and museum worlds in Europe and the United States. She was Lecturer in Classical Art and Archaeology at the University of Cambridge (2014-2018) and Assistant Professor in Ancient Greek and Roman Art at the University of Nottingham (2018-2022).