The Relationship between Climate Change and Cultural Heritage in the GCC

Anthropogenic climate change poses a serious threat to the intangible cultural heritage in the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC). Oral folklore is particularly at threat since the local citizens cannot earn a decent living from traditional practices and jobs. This paper explores feasible solutions for sustaining oral folklore of the GCC through three different ways: mobile museums, UN partnerships, and national policies. Each of these proposed methods is analysed through a GAP analysis, where the researchers compare an ideal scenario to the recurrent problems and hurdles faced on the ground. The paper presents successful experiments of sustaining oral folklore as a model to be adopted in this region to bridge this gap. Finally, the paper concludes that oral folklore should be closely tied to the national policies and visions created to combat climate change in this region.