A study on the impact of climate change in Lisbon recommends measures to preserve the Belém Tower, as well as caution and support for the thousands of visitors who wait in queues in extreme heat outside Jerónimos.
These are some of the recommendations of a study that began in September this year at two World Heritage sites in the Belem area by a team of North American researcher Barbara Judy of the US National Park Service.
In an interview with Lusa, the researcher, an architect with a specialization in this field, said that her team has identified the effects of climate change on the two monuments and recommends, as more urgent measures, interventions to preserve the Belém Tower and measures to protect thousands of tourists in the next three to five years. visiting the Jeronimos Monastery in the summer.
“We know that the climate is changing here in Portugal and in Lisbon, but the question is how these changes affect these two monuments. We are very concerned about visitors who typically queue for an hour and a half, which is excessive when temperatures rise,” warned the researcher, who has experience studying monuments in coastal areas.
The Jeronimos Monastery ranks first among Portugal’s most visited monuments, with 870,321 visitors in 2022, while the Belém Tower, also located in the capital, was visited by 377,780 people last year.
“Statistics show that 90% of visitors come from all over the world, especially older tourists from northern Europe who are not used to the heat. Other, more vulnerable visitors, such as pregnant women and children, are also a cause for concern,” the researcher noted, warning about “health risks associated with exposure to strong sunlight and high ambient temperatures.”
Barbara Judy recommends that visitors in this area be protected by shade and, if this is not possible, be given proper warning about long waits, especially in warmer months, wear hats and carry water.
Answering a question about limiting entry, the researcher recalled that the monastery already has a limit of 400 people, but believes that “there should be a limit of half an hour of waiting in line instead of an hour and a half.”
In general, the researcher draws conclusions in three directions in his study: “After detailed observation of the two monuments and studying the scientific literature on climate change in Lisbon, I came to the conclusion that there are three natural systems that are changing.”
“Firstly, the ambient temperature is rising. On the other hand, there is a rise in sea level, as well as storms, which together create shock waves that hit coastal structures. This has already been discussed,” he pointed out. .
The third system is related to the state of the groundwater in the Jeronimos Monastery, which is less visible: “Normally the groundwater level is not visible, but when the salt water level rises, fresh water is pushed into the foundations of the monuments, and it is necessary to study this evolution and how it can affect them influence.”
Specifically regarding the Belem Tower, he recommended “a campaign to repair and preserve the lower levels over the next three to five years to strengthen the monument in the face of rising sea levels and the frequency of storms.”
Also speaking with Lusa about the study, which will be publicly presented this Monday at 15:00, Dalila Rodrigues, director of the two monuments, emphasized that “the report is extremely useful in terms of practical application, since it identifies the risks and vulnerabilities of the monuments and suggests practical measures to be taken in the short, medium and long term.”
“It is now important to implement the results of this study and adopt the recommended decisions and treatments. It is necessary that the guardianship provide resources and define a network of institutional cooperation, starting with the city of Lisbon. Council and the Lisbon Port Authority, among others,” he defended.
Both monuments have been classified as World Heritage Sites by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) since 1983.
The research project, “Impacts of Climate Change on the Jerónimos Monastery and Belém Tower—Scientific Studies and Mitigation Plans,” is being conducted in partnership with the U.S. Embassy in Lisbon through the Embassy Research Fellow program.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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