Venice may soon find itself on UNESCO’s list of “World Heritage in Danger” sites.
Known for its intricate network of canals, the city and its lagoon have been a part of UNESCO’s World Heritage Site since 1987. But the effects of over-tourism and climate change have placed the City of Water under concern from the global organization.
Italian officials are no stranger to the endangerment. Two years ago, the waterways around Venice a were declared a “national monument” and cruise ships were banned from entering.
Sadly, it doesn’t seem to have been enough.
UNESCO believes that the corrective measures are “currently insufficient and not detailed enough” and has accused Italy of not communicating in a sustained and substantive manner since the matter of blacklisting Venice was raised in 2021.
Officials have said that they will review UNESCO’s recommendation.
One way in which Venice could be saved is if the government decides to finally enact the proposed tourist fee for those wishing to make day trips to the city. The initiative, which would control the number of visitors, was due to be implemented in January of this year, but has faced several objections.