Integration of Cultural Heritage into Disaster Risk Management: Challenges and Opportunities for Increased Disaster Resilience

Abstract

This chapter explores the integration of cultural heritage into the overall framework of DRM, outlines potential challenges and emphasises that, aside from enhancing heritage protection from natural hazards and climate change-related extreme events, this can promote the overall disaster resilience of the social, built and environmental systems to which cultural heritage belongs. The World Heritage Site of ‘Bam and its Cultural Landscape’, as a unique example of a traditional human settlement, is investigated through analysis of its multidimensional values associated with its contribution to post-disaster recovery, development and resilience of the city of Bam following the earthquake in 2003. In drawing upon this example, the integration and contribution of cultural heritage in the DRM framework are discussed through an interdisciplinary review of existing literature. This review demonstrates that despite the opportunities for proactive long-term economic and social coping capacity, potential challenges, primarily in respect to safeguarding heritage values within overall risk reduction policies, may also be generated.