**4. Discussion**

The current vision in Central Italy for conservation and managemen<sup>t</sup> of heritage resources is still very close to the traditional paradigm that affords tangible heritage areas an intrinsic value, worthy of grea<sup>t</sup> efforts for its collection, catalogue and preservation in view of the likely restoration of the damaged heritage [64]. However, both protection of heritage areas and climate change adaptation are dynamic fields of investigation [65]. Prior to developing climate adaptation policies, it is necessary to examine the meaning of cultural heritage in light of climate change. According to the results, viewing heritage resources with a broader lens of the cultural landscape provides a comprehensive framework for the wise development of adaptation policies. In the vision of UNESCO, historical features play a vital role in the definition of the cultural landscape and can be divided into three different categories, including (1) clearly defined; (2) organically evolved; and (3) associatively cultural.

In contrast, the European Landscape Convention focuses on the social values of the cultural landscape that make a community distinct and unique. In this vision, the cultural landscape provides a holistic perspective—an area, as perceived by people, whose character is the result of the action and interaction of human factors and natural resources therein. Furthermore, in this vision, the local economy is linked to landscape resources in several ways: through resources related to the production of food, energy, raw material, and water (farming, forestry, fishery, water supply) and through the tourism industry. The European Landscape Convention promotes a valuation system based on community perception. It also pays particular attention to the strategic role of cultural and natural goods in sustaining the cultural landscape. From a territorial planning point of view, cultural heritage may be defined as a system of synergistic relationships between unique qualities of the physical environment, the built environment, and the anthropic environment [66]. Therefore, adaptation policies should be developed under a cultural and natural heritage conservation framework that suitably recognizes these three aspects in an integrated form.

The analysis of climate change impacts on Central Italy (Figure 3) illustrates the varying vulnerability to natural risks across the landscape. From a territorial planning point of view, developing climate-adaptive policy and reducing the impacts of natural risks is not only about conservation of the physical features in a heritage site, but also recognizing and protecting socio-economic activities that are linked to the cultural, natural, or World Heritage Sites. The socio-economic changes associated with climate impacts can have a significant influence on the protection of the cultural landscape. For identification of climate change impacts on socio-economic dynamics, heritage sectors need to estimate the damage costs of climate change on the cultural landscape and be fully aware of how this damage can be minimized by adaptation policies that build capacity and resilience. Such a vision would enhance the concept of cultural heritage from an isolated site into a territorial resource.

To promote the adaptation capacity of cultural landscapes, it is recommended that Central Italy integrate the European Landscape Convention within territorial planning systems. Such a combination provides an opportunity to use multidisciplinary and multi-sector perspectives in dealing with protection challenges, while also considering the unique morphologies of cultural landscapes in this area. For instance, if agriculture factors centrally in the identity of a cultural landscape, understanding farmers' views, framing issues, and necessary actions would be crucial for developing climate adaptation policies [54]. Adopting a territorial vision in a cultural and natural heritage conservation framework facilitates the inclusion of new approaches for adaptation of heritage resources in the face of climate change. The proposed approach supports multi-scale and multi-sector actions rooted in the differing expectations of a wide range of partners and expands the scope of community participation and engagement.

Consequently, territorial planning facilitates communication between planning institutions, stakeholders, and researchers in developing adaptation policies and reducing the risks of climate change. Furthermore, in this vision, cultural and natural heritage goods are dynamically assessed as useful characteristics for the sustainability of the cultural landscape. Adopting a territorial approach to heritage resources from conservation to protection, static to dynamic, valued to valuing, and from isolated to contributor can play a fundamental role in adaptation to climate change in Central Italy.

The proposed cultural and natural heritage conservation framework (Figure 4) not only supports mitigation and adaptation strategies at the national scale but also boosts communication among heritage institutions, academic researchers, and the local community. However, developing and implementing adaptation policies in such a framework highlights the need for further research to address the potential challenges and risks. Although this model affirms that losing a part of heritage resources because of climate change impacts is inevitable, inadequate knowledge of how vulnerabilities and the cost of climate change should be prioritized in the context of a cultural landscape remains a challenge for developing climate-adaptive policies.

**Figure 4.** A framework for building adaptation capacity and sustaining of cultural landscapes in Central Italy.

Another consideration is that conservation organizations are at a different level of preparedness in terms of how well they are equipped to respond to climate change, and this condition can considerably affect the assessment, policymaking, and implementation steps. For instance, while local governments are the first responders for climate-related natural risks (e.g., flood), many municipalities may not be adequately prepared for dealing with floods. Most municipal officials have a reasonable understanding of flood issues and its adverse impact on cultural landscapes. However, they require additional information, support, and education as they deal with the complexity of decisions surrounding climate change and its impacts on heritage resources [67].

Considering the complexity of conservation issues in Central Italy in terms of climate change, the cultural and natural heritage conservation framework requires a model of how the exchanging of information should be developed among citizens, public administrators, and the scientific community at the regional scale.
