Venice evades UNESCO endangered listing after Italy’s big ship ban

The UNESCO list of world heritage site in danger did not include Venice in it even after the UN body last month warned it to look for “more sustainable tourism management”, reports AFP. This comes just weeks after Italy moved to ban large cruise ships from sailing into the city centre. Venice has been on UNESCO’s heritage list since 1987.

The World Heritage Committee, which is meeting in Fuzhou, China, gave Italian authorities until next December to report back on efforts to preserve the city’s ecosystem and heritage. Welcoming the decision, Italy’s Culture Minister Dario Franceschini said “attention on Venice must remain high”. He stressed on the need to identify a “sustainable development path”.

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For years, campaigners have been calling for an end to cruise ships sailing past St Mark’s Square. They say the giant floating hotels cause large waves that undermine the city’s foundations and harm the fragile ecosystem of its lagoon.

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From August 1, large ships will be banned from entering the Basin of San Marco, the Canal of San Marco and the Giudecca Canal, according to the ban. The ships will be diverted to the industrial port of Marghera, whereas smaller cruise ships, holding about 200 passengers, can continue to reach the heart of the city.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, Liverpool Waterfront in England was stripped of its heritage status, citing concerns about overdevelopment, including plans for a new football stadium. 13 delegates voted in favour of the proposal and five against — just one more than the two-thirds majority required to delete a site from the global list.