New Focal point for the ICOMOS Working Group on Climate Action (2024-2027)

ICOMOS is pleased to announce that Ave Paulus has been appointed as the new ICOMOS Focal Point to coordinate the Climate Action Working Group (CAWG) for the period 2024-2027. 

Ave Paulus is the president of ICOMOS Estonia, and has over 20 years of experience as a senior specialist for cultural heritage issues at the Environmental Board of Estonia, Ministry of Climate of Estonia.

Ave Paulus has coordinated cooperation between heritage communities, states, and universities in more than 30 development and research projects concerning heritage conservation and management. She was an expert member of the European Union Open Method of Cooperation (OMC) Group on Strengthening Cultural Heritage Resilience for Climate Change and the UNESCO panel of experts on Climate Change and the World Heritage.

"The ICOMOS Climate Action Working Group has been pioneering in heritage and climate policies in the world and making an immense contribution to acknowledging the role of heritage in climate action. The strength of ICOMOS is in its worldwide expertise, presence and knowledge of specific local heritage and communities, world policies, and collaboration with major stakeholders in heritage and climate action." - Ave Paulus

A member of the ICOMOS Working Groups on Climate Action and Rights-Based Approaches, and Scientific Committees on Cultural landscapes, Theophilos and Water Heritage, Ave Paulus is fully committed to facilitating the cooperation between ICOMOS and other stakeholders, while always "promoting ICOMOS climate policies and respecting individual members of ICOMOS".

She has master’s degrees from the Estonian Academy of Arts (heritage conservation and restoration) and Tartu University (semiotics and theory of culture). Her doctoral thesis (Tartu University) deals with community-based coastal heritage management and cultural rights in the face of climate change. She has presented her research and practice results at national and international scientific events and publications.

As focal points, Andrew Potts and Will Megarry have been leading the way in changing international policies. The policy change has been a joint effort of several world heritage organizations and networks, like IUCN, ICCROM, Climate Heritage Network, and Europa Nostra. Besides the cooperation in international policies, the focus has been on raising awareness and finding solutions in regional and national policies and practice. 

Serving as a focal point of the Climate Action Working Group is seen as a genuine honor, as stated by Ave Paulus. She has expressed continuous admiration for every member of this amazing group of 120 devoted heritage experts with astonishing expertise. In the synergy of communication, new ideas are generated that help make the world a better place. Ave Paulus plans to coordinate the Climate Action Working Group in a way that respects and unites heritage experts and heritage knowledge to safeguard the future.

ICOMOS sincerely thanks William Megarry for his remarkable service and leadership as CAWG Focal Point. His efforts have greatly advanced the ICOMOS mission and established a strong foundation for future work. As we bid him farewell in this role, we are pleased to welcome Ave Paulus, who will carry forward this important work with dedication and vision.

© Ave Paulus

See also 

 The page of the ICOMOS Climate Action Working Group (CAWG)

 The page on climate change