Dr Christian Baars

Christian spent the past twenty years working in and for museums and is currently the Head of Collections Care at National Museums Liverpool and the Co-Chair of ICOM UK.

He is acutely conscious of the burden posed by aging and inefficient mechanical ventilation systems, installed for conservation reasons, and hence the responsibility the sector has for a relatively large carbon footprint. He is working towards reducing this footprint without compromising on the preservation of cultural heritage collections.

Christian holds a PhD in the evolution of Earth’s atmospheric composition and has a deep scientific understanding of climate change. Scientific questioning and reasoning inform the way he works. He has a past as an environmental activist and now combines his passion for achieving positive change with informed decision making.

Successes include helping to embed energy efficiency in estates management and reducing the energy consumption in museum operations.

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Speaking at Green Museums Summit 2023:

Climate Change Mitigation vs. Adaptation in Museums

Everybody is talking about doing something about climate change. And not before time. But the problem for many people is that the task seems enormous, and it is sometimes difficult to decide where to start. And the terminology can be confusing: zero carbon, demand reduction, mitigation, climate change risk assessment, resilience, adaptation plans – what does it all mean? 

In this presentation, Dr Christian Baars cuts through the jargon and offers advice on practical steps for implementing actions in museums that will make the organisation more resilient, protect the collections, save money, and reduce your carbon footprint.