Call for Papers: INACO Final Conference

The Interreg Central Europe project INACO warmly invites contributions to its Final Conference:

Risk Management for Cultural and Natural Heritage in Times of Climate Change

Bringing together researchers, practitioners, public authorities, heritage professionals, emergency managers, climate experts, and policy-makers, the conference will take place on 11 November 2026 in Eisenstadt (Austria) and will present key outcomes, tools, methodologies, and practical experiences developed throughout the INACO project.

Conference Background

Climate change and increasing extreme weather events are posing growing challenges to the safeguarding of cultural and natural heritage across Central Europe.
Floods, droughts, heatwaves, storms, erosion, and other climate-related hazards increasingly threaten historic sites, cultural landscapes, archaeological areas, natural reserves, and heritage-based communities.

The INACO project has addressed these challenges by developing:

• systematic approaches for heritage-sensitive risk management,
• operational protocols and disaster scripts,
• transnational risk management plans,
• digital assessment and mapping tools,
• and training concepts for the emerging role of the Risk Manager for Cultural and Natural Heritage.

The conference aims to:

• bring together interdisciplinary perspectives and practical experience in the fields of climate resilience, heritage protection, governance, and risk management,
• foster interdisciplinary exchange,
• strengthen professional networks,
• discuss innovative approaches to heritage risk management,
• and contribute to the long-term resilience of cultural and natural heritage in Central Europe.

Special emphasis will be placed on practical applicability, governance integration, and transnational cooperation.

Topics of Interest

In line with these objectives, we welcome contributions related to, but not limited to, the following themes:

• Risk Management & Governance
  • Risk governance for cultural and natural heritage
  • Climate adaptation strategies
  • Disaster risk reduction and preparedness
  • Integration into public administration and planning
  • Cross-sector and multi-level governance

• Cultural & Natural Heritage under Climate Change
  • Vulnerability and exposure assessment
  • Heritage resilience and adaptation
  • Climate impacts on archaeological sites, historic buildings, cultural landscapes, and natural reserves
  • Preventive conservation approaches

• Digital Tools & Innovation
  • Risk mapping and geospatial analysis
  • Digital monitoring tools
  • Data-driven heritage management
  • Early warning systems
  • Web-based applications and participatory platforms

• Protocols, Procedures & Disaster Scripts
  • Emergency planning for heritage
  • Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
  • Hazard-specific response strategies
  • Recovery and reconstruction approaches

• Training, Capacity Building & Competence Networks
  • Education and training for Risk Managers
  • Interdisciplinary cooperation
  • Knowledge transfer between science, policy, and practice
  • Community engagement and participatory approaches

• Use Cases & Practical Experiences
  • Pilot site experiences
  • Local and regional case studies
  • Lessons learned from exercises and simulations
  • Best practices and transferable methodologies

Submission Formats

We invite a range of contribution formats, including:

• Academic papers
• Practice-oriented presentations
• Case studies
• Tool demonstrations
• Poster presentations

Submission Guidelines

Please submit:

• Title of contribution
• Author(s) and affiliation(s)
• Abstract (max. 300 words)
• Preferred format (presentation / poster / demo)