Archives, copyright, and climate change are not obviously connected. This article links these disparate entities by looking at them through the lens of preservation. Climate change poses a great risk to the long-term existence of the world’s documentary heritage. This article focuses on those situations that will require the relocation of entire repositories and their collections, and proposes the creation of digital copies as one means of preserving archival materials. But copyright laws stand in the way. Preservation and other socially beneficial uses of copyrighted works become feasible only through statutory exceptions. But without appropriate and consistent exceptions in national copyright laws (including provisions to support cross-border action) archives are often hindered from preserving and providing access to our global heritage. The article concludes with a discussion of the efforts underway to overcome the copyright hurdles.