Assessing the consequences of recent climate change on World Heritage sites in South Greenland

Recent climate change is significantly accelerating the degradation of organic archaeological deposits in Kujataa Greenland. Over the past 40 years, rising soil temperatures combined with declining moisture levels have created conditions that threaten to erode irreplaceable cultural and environmental records. The study, using the CoupModel to simulate soil conditions at four sites, reveals that even coastal areas—previously considered stable—are now at risk due to warmer summers and drier soils. The greatest vulnerability lies in inland regions, home to Norse Viking Age settlements, where the combination of heat and aridity poses an immediate danger to preservation efforts. With 583 registered archaeological sites in the region, this research underscores the urgent need for adaptive conservation strategies to mitigate the impacts of climate change on these fragile deposits.

Hollesen, J., Jepsen, M. S., Stendel, M., & Harmsen, H. (2024). Assessing the consequences of recent climate change on World Heritage sites in South Greenland. Scientific Reports, 14(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-60397-9