Threatened Archaeological Heritage in Scottish Island Contexts: Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation Strategies

The University of the Highlands and Islands seeks a researcher for a project on the impacts of climate change on archaeological heritage in Scottish islands. The role involves reviewing data, researching mitigation strategies, and assessing vulnerabilities related to coastal erosion. The research aims to integrate heritage considerations into adaptation planning. This is a full-time position based in the United Kingdom.
Climate change impacts are adversely affecting archaeological heritage worldwide. The threats to archaeological heritage in the Scottish islands are acute, due to the scale of

coastal erosion and the richness of the archaeological resource. Archaeological heritage in these contexts is important to islanders' resilience - in economic as well as social and

cultural terms (see CVI https://cvi-heritage.org/). Archaeological heritage can also be an important focus for engagement - for engendering climate literacy and climate action.

Government and local government coastal change adaptation planning will rarely consider the loss of heritage, and this topic plans to address this gap. The research will be focussed on Scottish islands but will have much wider applications and relevance globally.

The research will entail reviewing the available data for climate drivers and threatened sites, as well as researching previous and existing measures for mitigation and adaptation and their effectiveness. Methods for assessing vulnerability to climate impacts, and statutory and community value attributed to sites will be explored and will feed into adaptation

strategy proposals. Research methods and approaches can be flexible according to the skills and background of the applicant.

Initial Reading:

The Future of Our Pasts

https://civvih.icomos.org/wp-content/uploads/Future-of-Our-Pasts-Report-min.pdf

Climate Vulnerability Index (CVI) Assessment for the Heart of Neolithic Orkney World

Heritage Site

https://www.historicenvironment.scot/archives-and-research/publications/publication/