- Title
- Social participation for climate change adaptation of cultural built heritage: a case study of Nigeria
- Creator
- Adetunji, Olufemi
- Relation
- University of Newcastle Research Higher Degree Thesis
- Resource Type
- thesis
- Date
- 2021
- Description
- Research Doctorate - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
- Description
- Climate change is a major cause of the increasing deterioration of heritage places and the loss of values, meanings and histories of the past. The global average surface temperature, for instance, is projected to increase within the range of 1.4°C and 5.8°C by 2100. More than 60 heritage buildings in Nigeria were destroyed due to flooding, coastal storm and erosion between 1960 and 2010. This calls for urgent and inclusive actions to adapt the heritage buildings to the present and future climate scenarios, as well as implement people-driven approaches addressing the vulnerabilities of the heritage places to climate change through which the identities and connections to heritage are preserved. Given this, the study developed a framework for the involvement and participation of communities and networks in adapting cultural built heritage to climate change and its impacts. The study examines how to enable social participation in the climate change adaptation of cultural built heritage. A systematic review of relevant literature between 2010 and 2020 was conducted to understand the linkages between climate, cultural built heritage and communities. Climate data was gathered through relevant reports and the publications of recognised organisations. A case study approach was adopted to understand the values and impacts of climate change on three heritage buildings in Nigeria. Interviews with twenty-nine key informants and three focus group discussions were also conducted to understand perceptions relating to the values, management and impacts of climate change on the heritage buildings. 254 questionnaires were also administered to local tourists and visitors, both face-to-face and through Internet-mediated approaches. In addition, the ABC method of assessing and managing risks to cultural heritage was adopted to assess and understand the impacts of key climate drivers on heritage buildings. The findings revealed the influence of cultural built heritage within the communities, not only as evidence of the past preserving identities, histories and cultural ties, but also as a key contributor to sustainable development at the community-level and as a mobiliser of communities for involvement in decision-making and policy planning. However, the management of heritage buildings in Nigeria is largely government-driven, with a limited consideration of climate change impacts and adaptation, and a lack of meaningful participation of the local communities and their representatives. The conservation policies and practices also do not utilise participatory tools that will improve the connection between the people/community and heritage places. The study identified key criteria to enable the involvement and participation of communities and networks in the conservation and adaptation of built heritage to climate change: i.) engagement with and inclusion of users and neighbourhood communities, ii.) the raising of awareness and capacity building, iii.) an inclusive approach to policy planning, iv.) the recognition of local knowledge, and v.) access and other benefits. The criteria are connected to motivating factors, including rewards and incentives, the conservation of uses and functions, communal benefits and the democratisation of decision-making. The barriers to social participation include mistrust and communal conflicts, low skill capacity, low awareness and inadequate information about the climate and heritage buildings, ineffective approaches to social participation, and residents’ apathy to community actions. The findings of the study contributed to the development of a SocioPAC framework to enable the involvement and participation of communities and networks in the conservation and adaptation of cultural built heritage to climate change and its impacts. The study recommends reviewing the heritage policies to recognise: i.) the roles and involvement of local communities and intergovernmental and inter-organisational collaborations in the policy development and implementation, ii.) the development of detailed and comprehensive national inventories of heritage to identify, document, manage and communicate the values and significance of heritage, iii.) the integration of heritage into education curricula, especially at the pre-tertiary level, iv.) the development and implementation of lifelong learning approaches for heritage professionals, employees and volunteers at heritage organisations, and v.) the revamping of and emphasis on research and development activities at the organisations involved in the conservation and management of heritage.
- Subject
- climate change adaptation; climate risk; community action; conservation policy; cultural heritage; Nigeria; social networks; social participation
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/1959.13/1451017
- Identifier
- uon:44076
- Rights
- Copyright 2021 Olufemi Adetunji
- Language
- eng
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| Thumbnail | File | Description | Size | Format | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| View Details Download | ATTACHMENT01 | Thesis | 29 MB | Adobe Acrobat PDF | View Details Download | ||
| View Details Download | ATTACHMENT02 | Abstract | 1 MB | Adobe Acrobat PDF | View Details Download | ||
| View Details Download | ATTACHMENT04 | Research Brochure | 32 MB | Adobe Acrobat PDF | View Details Download |