UNESCO recommends adding Venice to heritage danger list due to climate change and overtourism

UNESCO has called upon the Italian government to take proactive measures and “ensure the utmost dedication” in addressing the issues plaguing Venice, in a bid to save one of 1157 places around the world that are designated as World Heritage Sites.

According to CNN, this decision was put forth by a team of experts and appears in the provisional agenda ahead of the 45th session of the World Heritage Committee, scheduled to take place in Riyadh (Saudi Arabia) in September. Issues such as overtourism and climate change have been contributing to the deterioration and damage of the city’s historic buildings and social identity, with the draft pointing out that Venice’s culture, atmosphere and landscape are now under direct threat.

Over the past few years, Venice has been grappling with a range of weather-related challenges, including a severe drought in February that rendered some essential canals impassable for transportation, and devastating flooding (November 2019) that put historical treasures and architectural wonders at risk. On the other hand, while much-welcome efforts have been implemented to fight overtourism, including the ban on large ships entering the city, the report still highlights the persistent negative impact of human intervention.

In response to the recommendation, local authorities have expressed their interest in learning more about said report and its conclusions, seeking to engage with both the Italian government and UNESCO officials. As of now, neither the Italian Culture Ministry nor the Italian Tourism Ministry has issued a statement regarding the UNESCO recommendation.

For now, the city still holds its fate within its grasp: whether its authorities will embrace UNESCO’s conclusions or bow before tourism money, it is a question that only time will answer.