Preserving Legacies Named Local Adaptation Champion by Global Center on Adaptation at COP30, Belem Brazil

BELÉM, BRAZIL – November 10, 2025 – Preserving Legacies, a National Geographic Society project dedicated to safeguarding global natural and cultural heritage sites from climate change impacts, was awarded the Global Center on Adaptation’s (GCA) Local Adaptation Champion Award for Citizen Science at COP30.

Photo by Michael O. Snyder/National Geographic

WHAT:

The GCA Local Adaptation Champion Award recognizes innovative and scalable locally led efforts that address climate change impacts and build resilience among vulnerable communities. Preserving Legacies, led by National Geographic Explorer Victoria Herrmann, works with communities across the globe to help cultural heritage sites create adaptation solutions to unavoidable climate change consequences. Currently, the project works with more than 70 site custodians across 35 countries to develop bespoke climate adaptation solutions.

"Preserving Legacies is humbled to receive the 2025 GCA Champions Award,” said National Geographic Explorer Victoria Herrmann and Preserving Legacies Executive Director. “It's a testament to what can be accomplished when people work together across communities, cultures, and continents to safeguard the places we love most against climate impacts, and an opportunity for Preserving Legacies to reach further in its mission to adapt humanity's heritage for generations to come."

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Preserving Legacies is a global organization dedicated to safeguarding humanity’s cultural and natural places from the impacts of climate change. By supporting local change makers with training, tools, and connections to equitably adapt what their communities cherish most, they are redefining resilience to build a more just and thriving future. Their three-stage framework – capacity-building, risk assessment, and adaptation action – scales to support hundreds of sites worldwide, from iconic places like Petra in Jordan to locally-renowned treasures like Sceilg Mhichíll in Ireland. Their partners include National Geographic Society, International Council on Monuments and Sites, and the Climate Heritage Network. Learn more at heritageadapts.org.

The National Geographic Society is a global nonprofit organization that uses the power of science, exploration, education and storytelling to illuminate and protect the wonder of our world. Since 1888, National Geographic has pushed the boundaries of exploration, investing in bold people and transformative ideas, providing more than 15,000 grants for work across all seven continents, reaching 3 million students each year through education offerings, and engaging audiences around the globe through signature experiences, stories and content.

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