Venice’s survival will be even more in danger if the city doesn’t issue a permanent ban on cruise ships docking there, said UNESCO.
UNESCO said it would examine a proposal to put Venice on its endangered list at its plenary session on July 16 to 31. If approved, it would demand urgent action by the Italian government by next February.
Namely, a ban on cruise ships appeared to have been passed during 2021, but cruise ships have returned to Venice.
For years there have been calls for cruise ships to be banned from Venice, as the affect the city’s delicate historic buildings and on the lagoon’s unique ecosytem. These calls were louder after a cruise ship crashed into a quay in June 2019.
What is more, last May the Lower House gave approval to a decree banning cruise ships from mooring in Venice. According to this decree, a plan must be implemented for the berth of the cruise ships outside Venice lagoon.
In the meantime, cruise ships will keep docking at the city’s industrial port.
