Venice’s cultural heritage is not adequately protected, according to UNESCO experts. They have recommended adding the Italian city and its lagoon to the list of endangered World Heritage sites. The site is at risk of “irreversible” damage due to mass tourism, overdevelopment, and rising sea levels associated with climate change. This recommendation will be discussed at a September meeting of the UN cultural agency’s World Heritage Committee, where the status of 1,157 World Heritage sites will be debated. The experts have also suggested adding several other sites, including the Ukrainian cities of Kyiv and Lviv, to the World Heritage in Danger list.
UNESCO stated that Venice faces “persistent and complex issues” related to mass tourism, development projects, and climate change. These issues threaten the cultural and social identity of the city, as well as the integrity of its cultural, environmental, and landscape attributes. The Italian government has proposed corrective measures, but UNESCO considers them insufficient and lacking detail. The agency also highlighted the need for a long-term preservation strategy and effective coordination among all stakeholders.
This recommendation comes as a blow to Venice, which welcomes around 28 million tourists annually. The city narrowly avoided being placed on the endangered list two years ago after implementing emergency measures to limit tourism, such as banning cruise ships in the San Marco Canal. However, an ambitious conservation plan for the city was never put into action. The municipality of Venice plans to carefully review the proposed decision and discuss it with the government.
In a separate decision, the Great Barrier Reef’s potential addition to the “in danger” list has been deferred until next year. Australian officials have bought some time as the UNESCO committee postponed its decision.
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