Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage and the environment

The Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (hereafter known as the Convention) was adopted within the framework of UNESCO in October 2003. Article 2 of the Convention establishes that intangible cultural heritage (ICH) must be compatible with sustainable development. Sustainable development in relation to culture consists of three intertwined dimensions: society, environment, and economy. Chapter 6 of the Operational Directives for the Implementation of this Convention establishes a framework related to “environmental sustainability”. The framework consists of three pillars. The first pillar relates to “environmental impacts in the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage”. The second pillar relates to “knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe”. The final pillar concerns “community-based resilience to natural disasters and climate change”. Through analysis of the Convention, the Convention’s Operational Directives and elements of intangible cultural heritage inscribed on the Representative List of the Convention, this article will provide case studies where, in line with these pillars, intellectual property rights, particularly geographical indications, aim to support environmentally friendly practices. In so doing, this article will also seek to show that intellectual property rights can recognise communities as bearers of knowledge about nature and as essential actors in sustaining the environment. Indeed, this work will suggest that although intellectual property rights, if not carefully drafted, can pose risks for environmental sustainability, when correctly adopted they have the capacity to empower communities. Thus, the aim of this work is to show how intellectual property rights can be tools to facilitate safeguarding and sustainability for both intangible cultural heritage and the environment.