UNESCO May Add Venice to ‘In Danger’ List

Venice's famed waterways.

UNESCO may add Venice the list of ‘World Heritage in Danger’ after advisors warned the city is facing a series of threats. “The continued deteriorating effects of human intervention, combined with climate change on the vulnerable lagoon ecosystem, threaten to result in irreversible change,” the body said this week.

Cruise ships are deemed a “threat” to the famous Italian city as they continue to sail through the historic city’s water front centre, despite the Italian government ruling that they should be banned.

UNESCO wrote, “While legal bans already exist for ships over 40,000 gross ton to enter the Venice Lagoon, it has no practical effect, as no alternative exists for the mooring of these large ships.

“The State Party should continue searching for a long-term solution with utmost urgency, prioritising the option of banning large ships from the Lagoon altogether, and preferably redirecting them to more suitable ports in the region.

“Complex impacts of mass tourism, the constant decrease of population and the basic deficiencies in governance and cooperated management which have led to a significant loss of historical authenticity within Venice,” have added to the Venice’s woes UNESCO said.

“The continued deteriorating effects of human intervention, combined with climate change on the vulnerable lagoon ecosystem, threaten to result in irreversible change,” it added.


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Deirdre Tynan

Deirdre Tynan is an award-winning journalist who enjoys bringing the best in news reporting to Spain’s largest English-language newspaper, Euro Weekly News. She has previously worked at The Mirror, Ireland on Sunday and for news agencies, media outlets and international organisations in America, Europe and Asia. A huge fan of British politics and newspapers, Deirdre is equally fascinated by the political scene in Madrid and Sevilla. She moved to Spain in 2018 and is based in Jaen.

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