University led Coastal TALES Project secures funding in Belmont Forum's Climate and Cultural Heritage Call

The Coastal TALES project, led by the UNESCO-MOST BRIDGES (UK) hub at UWTSD, has successfully secured €770,000 of funding in Belmont Forum’s Climate and Cultural Heritage joint call (CCH 2023).

The collaborative initiative aims to address challenges at the intersection of climate change and cultural heritage, involving teams from Ireland, the United States, and Wales. The project focuses on understanding and preserving adaptive strategies of coastal communities facing climate change impacts.

In a highly competitive field that saw forty-two eligible proposals from diverse research teams across participating countries, the Coastal TALES project and fifteen other initiatives have been recommended for funding following a rigorous evaluation by a Panel of Experts. The €14.6 million funding supports sixteen projects, each contributing unique insights to challenges posed by climate change on cultural heritage.

Luci Attala, Director at the UNESCO - BRIDGES (UK) Hub at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David, commented:

“We’re delighted to hear the news that the Coastal TALES project has been successful with this bid. In the face of climate change, cultural heritage plays a vital role in shaping resilient communities.”

Among the carefully selected initiatives, the Coastal TALES project, led by a collaborative team of researchers from Ireland, the United States, and Wales, stands out as a testament to the diversity of challenges at the nexus of cultural heritage and climate change. This groundbreaking project aims to unearth and chronicle the adaptive strategies of coastal communities grappling with the far-reaching impacts of climate change. One of those leading the project is UWTSD’s Professor Louise Steel. She said:

“Coastal TALES represents a crucial step toward understanding and preserving the adaptive strategies of coastal communities. Through collaborative, cross-disciplinary efforts, we believe the Coastal TALES project embodies a shared commitment to addressing the intricate challenges presented by the convergence of climate change and cultural heritage.”

Key university environments leading the project include the UK BRIDGES Hub at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David; Trinity College Dublin, and the BRIDGES Flagship Hub at Arizona State University. Researchers from the University of Washington, Seattle and SUNY Cortland will also contribute to the project’s success. Universidade do Porto has also supported the project’s proposal.

Crucial community partners include the Carmarthen Coracle and Netmen’s Association, Towy Valley Fish and Game, Cardigan Bay Fish and Câr-y-Môr, the environmental education and youth organisation ECO-UNESCO, the Archaeological Diving Company (Ireland), the Native Village of Old Harbor, the Alutiiq Tribe of Old Harbor, Old Harbor Alliance, the Old Harbor Native Corporation, and the Alutiiq Museum and Archaeological Repository (USA), who will play a pivotal role in ensuring the project’s real-world impact.

For more detailed information about the Coastal TALES project and the joint initiative, please visit Belmont Forum’s website.

Further Information

Arwel Lloyd

Principal PR and Communications Officer    
Corporate Communications and PR    
Email:  arwel.lloyd@uwtsd.ac.uk    
Phone: 07384 467076