Perspectives on Sustainability in Cultural Heritage Conservation

Abstract

In the last few years, ‘sustainability’ has become one of the greatest and most inevitable topics of discussion. Investigating contemporary approaches to sustainability in the cultural heritage sector shows how current development needs are perceived in order to better address the future. In the field of cultural heritage management, an increased focus on sustainability is both a stress factor and an opportunity. Despite the challenges and issues caused by development needs, increasing motivation seems to be the current direction within the field. This thesis aims to investigate contemporary approaches towards sustainability in the cultural heritage sector and how it affects the field of cultural heritage conservation. With a starting point in the United Nations Sustainability Development Goals 2030 Agenda, examples of how the increased focus on sustainability manifest itself within the cultural heritage sector will be analysed through qualitative studies of selected study material. Despite being a small field in a small sector, cultural heritage conservation must face the demands for sustainable development like all other sectors within our society. Society determine the preconditions for cultural heritage management, regardless of the individual’s approach to sustainability, the world is changing and so are the conditions for cultural heritage. Conservation of large selections in museum and art institutions is often of great costs, and the professional cultural heritage conservator has great impact on the overall management of cultural heritage. Therefore, the cultural heritage conservator can contribute to sustainable development in various ways. However, requirements for sustainable conservation procedures and new approaches to materiality are not always easily compatible with contemporary theories of conservation, why further discussion on contemporary theories of conservation should be revised to ensure the high professional standard. The profession of cultural heritage conservation has strong global networks, and with international cooperation and implementation of sustainable procedures in everyday practice, the engagement of professionals within the cultural heritage sector contributes to sustainable development.