Climate change has been an inherent aspect of Earth's history, shaping ecosystems, landscapes, and human societies from ancient times to the present. Since the 19th century, urbanisation has increased climate risk in densely populated areas, but also created new possibilities for shaping resilience through technological improvements, environmental management, and changes in societal structures. Understanding how societies in the past responded to climate-related hazards and how social resilience formed provides valuable insights into today's challenges. These historical perspectives inform strategies for sustainable adaptation amid ongoing global environmental change. Drawing on insights from archaeology, climatology, anthropology, history, and geography, scholars can elucidate the complex interconnections between climate variability, human adaptation, and societal resilience across different temporal and spatial scales.
Data-driven methods—including spatial analysis and statistical modelling of spatiotemporal information—can detect patterns of change over time, informing how resources were allocated and adaptive strategies developed over time. Results from case studies can detect how social, built environment, and infrastructure systems (co-)evolved, contributing to a deeper understanding of systemic change in hazard-prone areas. At the same time, Indigenous perspectives, community-based approaches, and participatory methodologies can enhance the resilience of vulnerable populations and foster sustainable responses to climate change in the twenty-first century.
This session aims to explore the complex interplay between humans and their environment, examining how societies have responded to and coped with the impacts of climate-related hazards in the past. Key themes include, but are not limited to:
• Historical perspectives on climate variability and societal change
• Case studies of resilience in ancient and medieval societies
• The development of adaptive strategies in relation to urbanisation processes
• Indigenous knowledge systems and adaptive strategies
• Technological innovations and agricultural practices change over time
• Adaptive strategies for responding to historical climate-related hazards and their transformation
• Case studies on the (co-)evolution of social and environmental systems in hazard-prone areas
• Lessons learned from past experiences for contemporary climate resilience