UNESCO recommends adding Venice to ‘heritage danger list’

UNESCO has recommended adding the tourists' favourite destination in Italy, Venice to its 'heritage danger list

Paris: United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has recommended adding the tourists’ favourite destination in Italy, Venice to its ‘heritage danger list,’ CNN reported.

The effect of climate change has become one of the major problems in Venice and UNESCO called on the Italian Government to step up efforts to secure the historic city and its surrounding lagoons.

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UNESCO and an advisory body of experts made this recommendation in its provisional agenda ahead of the 45th session of the agency’s World Heritage Committee, which is scheduled to be held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in September.

The draft resolution argues that there has not been a significant level of progress in addressing the persistent and complex issues related in particular to mass tourism, development projects and climate change.

The draft resolution stated that these issues are causing deterioration and damage to building structures and urban areas, degrading the cultural and social identity of the property and threatening the integrity of its cultural, environmental and landscape attributes and values.

Currently, Venice is witnessing a rise in weather-related problems in recent years, according to CNN.
In February this year, the city was in the grips of a drought so bad that it was impossible for gondolas, water taxis and ambulances to pass through some canals. In November 2019, flooding was so bad that historical treasures and buildings were endangered.

Not only the weather but also the over-tourism has become a major issue for the country. Overtourism in Venice has been an ongoing issue, and UNESCO noted some of the efforts in place to combat that, such as the ban on large ships from entering the San Marco Basin Giudecca Canal, reported CNN.

Still, the report said the effects of the continuing deterioration due to human intervention, including continuing development, the impacts of climate change and mass tourism threaten to cause irreversible changes to the OUV [outstanding universal value] of Venice.