Status Quo or Status Go? A reflection on integrated Ocean Heritage in the UN Ocean Decade five years in

Summary

This is an abstract from the session entitled "The Intersection Between Natural and Cultural Heritage and the Pressing Threats to Both", at the 2025 annual meeting of the Society for Historical Archaeology.

The essential role of integrated maritime and underwater cultural heritage (MUCH) with natural heritage – Ocean Heritage – in delivering sustainable development in our seas and oceans is particularly relevant to achieving the outcomes of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030) and UNESCO’s Thematic Indicators for Culture in the 2030 Agenda. Human interaction with the historic environment – embodied in intangible as well as tangible heritage and traditional knowledge – are key elements in extending perspectives of deep time. Knowledge generated from cultural heritage data about past materials and societies’ interaction with the sea can help gauge future patterns regarding pollution, impacts of climate change, and other hazards. Many research projects and initiatives have engaged with the challenges of the UN Ocean Decade; as we near 2030, a review of where we stand on directions in practice and policies is warranted.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• The Intersection Between Natural and Cultural Heritage and the Pressing Threats to Both   •
• Society for Historical Archaeology 2025

Keywords

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Nicole Haddow