Culture-based climate action The Davos Baukultur Alliance defines culture-based climate action as a paradigm that recognizes the pro- found influence of cultural narratives, heritage and traditions in shaping resilient, regenerative and place- based responses to climate change. Rather than treating climate action as a purely technical or policy-driven endeavour, this approach harnesses the power of story - telling, place-based knowledge and lived experience to bridge past, present and future solutions. By integrating cultural identities and traditional knowledge into climate strategies, culture-based climate action cultivates a deep, intrinsic mindset shift. This shift highlights the perception of environmental stewardship as a contin- uation of long-standing human relationships with the land, water and the built environment (rather than as an obligation). Indigenous and local knowledge systems are increasingly recognized for their crucial role in climate adaptation and biodiversity conservation, with platforms like the Local Communities and Indigenous Peoples Platform (LCIPP) under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) supporting these efforts. The Climate Heritage Network and the UNFCCC’s Work Plan on Culture stress the importance of recognizing the role of cultural heritage, arts and creative sectors in advancing climate action. These initi- atives emphasize that culture and heritage are invaluable resources for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and strengthening adaptive capacity. Key global efforts, such as United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization's (UNESCO) Culture 2030 Indicators, the Global Research and Action Agenda on Culture, Herit - age and Climate Change, and upcoming convenings like MONDIACULT 2025 and the 2025 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30), are pivotal for advancing these goals and integrating culture into climate strategies. Furthermore, the Alliance asserts that culture-based climate action goes beyond incremental change. It seeks to fundamentally transform how societies perceive and engage with sustainability in living environments by drawing on historical wisdom, Indigenous practices and local craftsmanship. The Davos Baukultur Alliance calls for a culture-based approach to inform strategic frameworks that guide policy-makers, urban planners, designers, developers, builders and asset managers towards climate solutions that are both innovative and rooted in legacy. By embedding cultural perspectives into climate adaptation and resilience efforts, it’s possi- ble to create high-quality, future-proof interventions that honour and learn from the past while addressing con- temporary place challenges. These perspectives ensure that climate action is not only effective but also deeply resonant, cultivating a shared sense of responsibility and belonging to place that drives collective transformation. 63Climate impacts on cultural heritage The loss of cultural heritage due to climate impacts – such as rising sea levels,15 extreme weather events16 and desertification17 – poses profound consequences for communities, particularly Indigenous groups who have long-standing ties to their lands. Forced displace- ment not only severs these deep-rooted connections but also threatens the intergenerational transmission of traditional knowledge, languages and cultural practices essential for sustainable stewardship. As ancestral lands become uninhabitable, entire ways of life risk erasure, reinforcing the urgency of embedding cultural resilience into climate strategies. Recognizing and protecting these cultural dimensions ensures that climate adaptation not only focuses on physical survival but also on preserv - ing identities, histories and relationships to place – all of which are at the heart of culture-based climate action. Reframe climate action as an opportunity for reinvention The way in which climate narratives are developed affects responses. Positioning climate adaptation as an opportunity for cultural reinvention, social justice and well-being can inspire proactive engagement and collective movement. Viewing climate challenges as a chance to address inequality, cultivate resilience and promote human flourishing prompts communities to see potential for transformation, not just preservation. Indigenous wisdom, exemplified by the Aboriginal saying, “if you look after country, country will look after you”, underscores the deep interconnectedness between people, culture and the environment. This wisdom reflects the vital relationship between environmental stewardship and human flourishing. Reframing climate action in this way expands the conversation beyond mit - igation, allowing it to serve as a tool for advancing equity, improving access to clean water, creating green jobs and promoting sustainable land use.Centring cultural reciprocity and knowledge transfer The Alliance advocates for cultural reciprocity and the transfer of knowledge – learning from Indigenous and local knowledge and integrating it into design and sustain- ability strategies while acknowledging, respecting and giving back to the communities that provide this wisdom. The Alliance recognizes the vast potential of traditional and Indigenous knowledge (encompassing botanical contexts, entire ecological systems and diverse physical and cultural landscapes) in informing climate solutions. Indigenous ways of life are deeply intertwined with the natural world. This symbiotic relationship underscores a fundamental truth – land and people are inseparable, each shaping and sustaining the other. Integrating the concept of a mutual exchange of services and benefits between land and people into architecture and urban planning across sectors – while promoting cooperation and shared responsibility – is essential to a culture-based approach to climate action. By honouring Indigenous perspectives that view humans as interconnected with nature rather than dominant over it, it’s possible to cultivate value systems that guide the design and construction of spaces in harmony with their physical and cultural landscapes. This perspective challenges the extractive tendencies of conventional development and instead promotes a stewardship model in which the built environment exists in mutual respect with natural systems.

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