Climate change is one of the most important issues of the 21^st century. Increased greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere have led to higher temperatures, altered rainfall patterns, rising sea levels, and more frequent extreme weather events. These extreme weather events are a sign of climate change. Climate change affects ecosystems and socio-economic structures. Cultural heritage is affected directly and/or indirectly by climate change.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) defines climate change as an unprecedented threat to natural and cultural heritage. Therefore, it emphasises the need to re-evaluate the current approaches to the protection of natural and cultural heritage in light of climate change. This is because climate change is not only an environmental issue, but also a fundamental problem that must be solved in order to protect and pass on humanity's shared heritage to future generations.

Cultural heritage is important for preserving the memory of the past and for transmitting social identity, consciousness and cultural continuity.  Climate change has negative physical, chemical, biological and social effects on cultural heritage. However, conservation efforts are being slowed down by the lack of a global assessment of the issue, limited scientific evidence and inadequate legal frameworks.

This study examines the relationship between cultural heritage and sustainability in the context of climate change. Firstly, the study discusses the intersection of these two concepts. It then considers the effects of climate change on cultural heritage from a multidimensional perspective, focusing on the physical, chemical, and biological effects on tangible cultural heritage, as well as the resulting risks. The effects on intangible cultural heritage and social memory are also evaluated. The study emphasises that climate change threatens cultural heritage in terms of both physical integrity and cultural continuity, identity and social resilience.