COP28 in Dubai witnessed a historic global agreement to transition away from fossil fuels, though concerns were raised over weak language and the absence of a clear fossil-fuel phase-out mandate in key outcomes.

The 2003 Convention recognises that safeguarding heritage feeds directly into the Sustainable Development Goals. It has also aligned with the development trend towards evidence-based policy.

The rise of AI has sparked concerns about its potential to take control over processes and systems that are otherwise human-led. But AI can certainly be an ally in the field of impact evaluation.

Should ‘Culture’ be the 18th SDG? Or, would a standalone SDG for culture disincentivize the integration of culture within the other SGDs, or obscure recognition of culture’s contribution to those wider goals?

Outcome harvesting is a powerful tool when evaluating cultural programmes, particularly when rigid, quantitative techniques do not accurately capture impact.

Returning to the field post-pandemic is key to telling beneficiary stories and providing a quality evaluation.