Withering of Zimbabwe’s Heritage Sites Amid Climate Change

Climate change is a significant challenge threatening heritage resources. Significant temperature changes have exacerbated the emergence of life-threatening weather conditions, including disasters, biodiversity decline, disease incidence and associated health threats, loss of lives, mass displacement, and human rights and livelihood challenges. However, climate change effects on cultural heritage (tangible and intangible) are not apparent to communities, as is the role of cultural heritage in climate change adaptation and mitigation. Climate vulnerability and change continue to affect Africa’s World Heritage Sites. Zimbabwe’s heritage sites are not immune to the threats. The concerns emanate from practical evidence of deterioration of management concerns at the sites due to changing climatic and ecological conditions. Climate change affects the extent of heritage with the probability of large-scale defoliation of unique heritage resources. The need for mitigation planning at the heritage site level becomes invaluable through collaborative planning that addresses challenges that the heritage sites and their neighboring communities face from climate change.