Harsh Vardhan Bhati: Powering Preservation: Balancing Heritage Conservation and Energy Transition in World Heritage Cities

Abstract

This dissertation examines the intersection of heritage conservation and sustainable energy transition in the UNESCO World Heritage sites of Visby (Sweden), Jaipur (India), and Bath (England, United Kingdom). This dissertation, presented through a series of four articles investigates how different national and local legal systems respond to similar international legal obligations and how these legal norms are interpreted and applied in practice by decision-makers and relevant stakeholders at the local level, particularly with regard to balancing cultural heritage conservation with energy transition and sustainability goals.

The first article examines the national legal systems of Sweden, India, and the United Kingdom and how the obligations of the World Heritage Convention are implemented in light of commitments to mitigate climate change under the Paris Agreement in the World Heritage cities of Visby, Jaipur, and Bath. The second and third articles focus on Visby (Sweden) and Jaipur (India) to investigate how public officials and other relevant stakeholders interpret and apply national and international obligations to preserve cultural heritage in light of commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and energy use. It further explores how these legal frameworks influence perception and decision-making processes, as well as how they produce both opportunities and challenges in balancing energy transition and sustainability with heritage conservation at the local level. The fourth article examines the effectiveness, legitimacy, and fairness of conservation practices under the World Heritage Convention, specifically regarding the rights of Indigenous Peoples and local communities in heritage nomination, protection, and management, and uses biocultural heritage and rights as a framework for integrating natural, cultural, tangible, and intangible heritage, with illustrative examples from Kenya and Sweden.

This thesis contributes to heritage and energy sustainability by recommending a more flexible approach within existing legal frameworks that incorporates soft-law mechanisms, such as funding and education programs, as well as capacity building among public officials and local communities to bridge policy and practice gaps in World Heritage cities. Drawing inspiration from the emerging idea of biocultural heritage, it additionally highlights the need to protect the relationships between people and their environments, even in cities. These findings underscore the importance of shared global responsibility to conserve World Heritage sites in the face of evolving environmental and urban challenges.