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What’s the Manifesto?

10 principles to follow. 10 Commitments for the Community.
The Green Heritage Conservation Manifesto is a commitment from the conservation science community to improve our entire practice in order to make heritage conservation greener. It aims to engender sectorial agreement by establishing steps that align with the European Green Deal in the care, display, storage, and conservation of heritage. It aims to achieve a quantifiable reduction of energy consumption in alignment with the Paris Agreement and the European Green Deal.

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1. We all contribute to the green movement

We, as a community, seek to introduce new approaches and technologies to the field of conservation and beyond, inspired by green developments in other areas of research and society.

2. A shared definition of greenness is our foundation

We establish criteria that define what is green in order to focus our efforts and to prioritise critical needs related to feasibility, cost, toxicity, environmental impact, reversibility and energy use.

3. Scientific evidence supports good decisions

We base the selection of procedures and materials we use on analytical and numerical methods that take into account the specificities of our complex material systems, and produce tools for selecting solutions based on weighted compromises.

4. Measurable targets help us reach our goals

Setting clearly articulated and measurable targets and steps that may be re-evaluated over time is how we reduce our environmental impact.

5. Becoming greener means innovating our practice

We work to introduce new practices and treatments, both preventive and remedial, and to secure ways to minimize intervention.

6. Research takes time and money

We endeavour to change how research is carried out to achieve greater interdisciplinarity and international cooperation, to allow time for alteration and validation studies, to report transparently on failures and to carry out thorough testing and re-evaluation of products.

7. Sharing knowledge is crucial

We spread awareness by facilitating access to procedures, materials, instruments and data, including transparent documentation of what has failed and the addition of Environmental Impact Statements as part of published data.

8. Educating our community is empowering

We require ongoing basic and professional training to thoroughly understand conservation issues and critically evaluate green methods.

9. Greenwashing has no place in conservation

We are honest with ourselves and do not see greenness as a unique selling point. Instead, we strive to counter greenwashing and greenhushing by reflecting on our own behaviour.

10. Heritage engages society

Conservation science offers a unique opportunity to advocate for green change with the general public.

News

Launch of the Green Heritage Community Manifesto

In November 2021, the Center for Cultural Heritage Technology of the Italian Institute of Technology, in collaboration with the Rijksmuseum, the Universiteit van Amsterdam, and the École Normale Supérieure de Paris-Saclay, organized the Lorentz Center workshop titled "Green Conservation Materials for European Heritage”. This workshop paved the way for a significant milestone: the official launch of the Green Heritage Conservation Manifesto, which took place on December 8th, in parallel with the High-Level Ministerial Dialogue for Culture-based Climate Action at COP28 in Dubai.

This transformative workshop brought together leading experts from various fields of cultural heritage science and conservation in Europe to identify priorities crucial for pursuing a greener and more sustainable future in the sector. Fostering a warm, studious, and creative atmosphere, the workshop has initiated lasting collaborations among participants, all committed to applying knowledge and research to facilitate a transition into a low-impact and sustainable future.

The Green Heritage Conservation Manifesto, an official document outlining urgent actions, delineates ten core points. These points are designed to establish key measures contributing to the Green Deal in the care, display, storage, and treatment of cultural heritage. The Manifesto represents a formal commitment from the conservation science community to achieve the objectives of the Green Deal.

Photo credits: Université Paris-Saclay

Katrien Keune talks about the Green Heritage Community Manifesto on 'Nieuws en Co'

Katrien Keune, one of the funders of the Green Heritage Community, was invited to discuss the Green Manifesto on "Nieuws en Co", a radio broadcast produced in collaboration with NOS and NTR Dutch broadcast services. In this interview, Katrien Keune answers questions from Dieuwke Teertstra, offering insights into the world of green conservation. To listen to the complete discussion, click the link below and start from minute 53.

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The launch of the Green Heritage Community Manifesto Ignites Enthusiasm in Online Scientific Communities

The launch of the Green Heritage Community Manifesto has sparked keen interest from several international online scientific magazines. Explore the content of the various articles published this week through the following links.

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