Venetian bind
Earlier this week, the United Nations’ cultural agency, UNESCO, proposed to include Venice and its lagoon on its World Heritage in Danger List. Despite considerable efforts to preserve the ‘City of Canals’ in past years, including banning cruise ships from the center and building deep-underwater sea walls to prevent flooding, UNESCO reported that the government isn’t doing enough to address the issues of “mass tourism, development projects, and climate change.”
Venice, which is spread over 118 small islands, was first designated as a World Heritage site in 1987, though the city’s popularity has meant that it is as vulnerable as it is beautiful. The historical center — spanning just 7 sq km, about 1/18th the size of Central London — welcomes thousands of tourists every day: in 2019, 5.6 million people were drawn to Venice’s waterways, making it the 48th most visited city in the world.
Along with the threat of rising sea levels and erosion of foundational terrain, the crowded city’s high population density means that it’s actually sinking, and fast. Climate scientists have warned that, if sinking continues at the current rate, Venice will be completely submerged by 2100.
Going, going, gondola
The proposal follows a tough few years for Italy’s floating city: in 2019, Venice was hit by $1 billion in flood damage, and the pandemic dealt another blow, decimating the city’s bustling tourist industry, which, before 2020, brought in €2bn a year. Many have objected to UNESCO’s motion, arguing that, although tourism is putting pressure on the city, it’s also a lifeline for the economy. The agency’s recommendation will not be finalized until a vote takes place next month.
