Venice won’t be listed as one of the world’s most endangered sites

Venice, Italy, will not be added to UNESCO’s list of endangered World Heritage sites at this time, despite concerns about climate change impacts and over-tourism.

Meeting decision: Officials from 21 UNESCO member states decided not to add Venice to the endangered list during a meeting in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
* Venice has been a World Heritage site since 1987, and UNESCO issued a report in July highlighting challenges facing the city, including extreme weather, rising sea levels, over-tourism, and over-development.

Concerns and future actions: UNESCO emphasized that protecting Venice must remain an international priority, citing concerns over tourism, development, and climate change.
* The organization plans to send a delegation to Venice and compile a new report by February next year. This report will assess the situation for possible inclusion in the endangered list next summer.

Expert viewpoint: Adam Markham, deputy director for climate and energy at the Union of Concerned Scientists, voiced frustration over the decision.
* Markham believes Venice needs to act more urgently to mitigate the threats from climate change and tourism. He commented, “Venice is going to really be strangled to death from climate change and tourism.”

In context: There are currently 54 sites on the World Heritage in Danger list.
* New additions in 2023 so far include Rachid Karami International Fair-Tripoli in Lebanon, The Historic Centre of Odesa in Ukraine, and Landmarks of the Ancient Kingdom of Saba, Marib in Yemen.
* UNESCO removed one site – Tombs of the Buganda Kings at Kasubi, Uganda – from the endangered list this year, after successful reconstruction following a devastating fire in 2010.

View original article on NPR

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