Impact of Climate Change on the World Heritage in Greenland and Indigenous Peoples’ Culture

Rapid glacier retreat due to climate change is destabilizing both the natural and cultural dimensions of Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) at UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Greenland, exposing a structural disconnect between heritage protection regimes and climate governance systems. The study focuses on three sites—Ilulissat Icefjord, Kujataa Greenland, and Asivissuit–Nipisat—and argues that the conventional nature-culture dichotomy is inadequate for understanding these environments, which are integral to Indigenous knowledge systems, subsistence practices, and societal organization. It proposes that OUV should be made more flexible in future revisions of UNESCO’s Operational Guidelines and raises questions about the long-term sustainability of heritage protection amid potential political shifts, such as Greenlandic independence.

Kimura, H. (2026). Impact of Climate Change on the World Heritage in Greenland and Indigenous Peoples’ Culture. Santander Art and Culture Law Review, 12(1), 209. https://doi.org/10.4467/2450050xsnr.26.011.23708