Built Environment, Culture and Heritage

In recent years, culture and cultural heritage have emerged as central themes in discussions about sustainable development. Culture and our shared heritage can be seen as a “fourth pillar” of sustainability, capable of driving forward debates on our common urban future.

A number of initiatives and actions on culture and sustainable development have been undertaken both at the international and the European level. ICLEI supports local governments in exploring new opportunities for fostering local/regional identity, in developing place-specific civic economies, and in involving diverse groups and their traditions in developing a shared vision of a sustainable city.

Click here for the Built Environment, Culture and Heritage factsheet to read more.

Policy & Advocacy

The New European Bauhaus

Climate Heritage Network

EU R&I Task Force for Climate Neutral and Resilient Historic Urban Districts

More Policy and Advocacy

132+

communities

engaged

9 Action Plans for Heritage-Led Regeneration,

4 Actions Plans for circular adaptive reuse of cultural heritage

& 6 Action Plans and concept solutions for sustainable cultural tourism

Involved in creating the standardisation

of an Integrated Approach

to the Resilience of Historic Areas

"We seek to contribute to the preservation of the traditional cultural and economic diversity of the central historical area, appreciating the architectural and heritage value of the built environment and related open spaces, as well as their aesthetics, while improving the daily life of the inhabitants and visitors, focusing on better coexistence in a more beautiful, sustainable and inclusive area."

Ana Oregi, (Member of ICLEI's Global Executive Committee)
Deputy Mayor, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Basque Country