UNESCO Recommends Adding Venice to 'Heritage Danger List'

• 04 Aug 2023

Recently, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has advised including Venice, the beloved tourist destination in Italy, in its 'heritage danger list' due to the adverse effects of climate change.

Key Points:

• Issues Threatening Venice's Integrity: The draft resolution emphasizes the lack of significant progress in addressing issues related to mass tourism, development projects, and climate change.
• These problems lead to deterioration and damage to building structures, urban areas, and the cultural and social identity of the city, jeopardizing its environmental and landscape attributes and values.
• Climate Change Impact on Venice: The major problems facing Venice include climate change and its consequences, and the organization calls for increased efforts to safeguard the city and its cultural heritage.
• Over-Tourism as a Concern: Over-tourism has also become a significant issue for Venice, affecting its cultural and environmental integrity.
• UNESCO acknowledges efforts to combat over-tourism, such as banning large ships from entering certain areas like the San Marco Basin – Giudecca Canal.
• Threat to Venice's Outstanding Universal Value: Despite some measures, Venice still faces challenges due to human intervention, continuing development, climate change, and mass tourism.