Malta’s prehistoric megalithic temples of Hagar Qim risk damage, and even collapse according to an article published on the BBC website.
Titled “Tower of London on climate list”, the article discussed a two-day meeting between UN experts to determine the risks climate change poses to some of the world’s heritage sites.
“Floods threaten the Tower of London and other sites in the UK capital, as well as Venice, the Great Mosques of Timbuktu and the prehistoric megalithic temples of Hagar Qim in Malta, which risk damage, perhaps even collapse, from desertification and changes in rainfall and temperature.”
Under the World Heritage Convention, member nations vow to protect World Heritage Sites wherever they are located.
The recent meeting at UNESCO Headquarters focused attention on potential risks. A selection of examples were taken as case studies to illustrate the wide range of scenarios that could be encountered in different situations around the globe. One of the case studies used was the Megalithic Temples of Malta.
According to the article, several environmental groups have lodged petitions with UNESCO to save four sites threatened by human emissions of greenhouse gases.
These sites are Sagarmatha National Park in the Himalayas, the Belize Barrier Reef, Huascaran National Park in Peru, Waterton-Glacier and the International Peace Park on the US/Canada border.
However, UNESCO added that even World Heritage Sites built by man are compromised by human emissions.
However, a number of initiatives have been taken to address the problem, according to Heritage Malta. Using European Union pre-accession funds, Heritage Malta commissioned the Istituto di Scienze dell’Atmosfera e del Clima to conduct intensive monitoring of environmental conditions at Hagar Qim and Mnajdra.
Meanwhile, preparations are underway to install protective shelters over these sites, using European Union Structural Funds. More environmental monitoring is being conducted at Tarxien Temples as part of the Bank of Valletta Tarxien Temples Project.
Climate changes not only affect the natural environment, but also determine what people were able to do in the environment of the different eras, Heritage Malta added.
“It is a well-known fact that the elements, particularly heavy rainfall, pose a significant threat to the preservation of these prehistoric structures for future generations. Changes in climate can therefore have serious implications for the conservation of these sites,” said Dr Reuben Grima, Senior Curator for World Heritage Sites.
Environmental damage due to desertification, changes in rainfall and temperature are a great threat to the historical sites, which are completely exposed, to the elements, said Miriam Cremona from Din l-Art Helwa.
Mrs Cremona explained that Heritage Malta will put up a protective cover over the Hagar Qim Temples.
“This covering will go a long way towards protecting the temples especially from damage caused by acid rain,” she said. “Given the archaeological sensitivity of the site any intervention is a great pity.”
However the project has to be undertaken because of environmental force majeure. “The temples have to be protected and we believe the proposed covering is visually acceptable and will to some extent delay further damage,” Mrs Cremona said.
Over 50 representatives from States party to the World Heritage Convention, various international organisations, NGOs, advisory bodies to the World Heritage Committee, and academic and scientific experts met to discuss current and future impacts of climate change on World Heritage sites.
The proposed actions and strategies will be submitted to the World Heritage Committee at its annual meeting in Lithuania in July.
The implications of climate change for World Heritage sites and conservation strategies were discussed, as well as case studies of the impact of climate change on certain World Heritage sites.