Venice revolting against massive cruise ship plan

Lagoon cut down to accommodate gargantuan vessels putting Venice further in peril Renzi urged to show the era of great works and great bribes is over.

When Italian premier Matteo Renzi visited Venice last week he was faced with protesters up in arms about yet another tourism attack on the city.

See article in La Repubblica HERE

See petition with English translation and numbers of signatures HERE

Italian campaigner Avaaz.it claimed to have got over 50,000 signatures in just two days and 100,000 by the time Renzi visited Venice opposing the plans. The petition is still open.

They say that excavations of the lagoon (protected by UNESCO) will allow ships bigger than the Titanic to enter the city.

Says Avaaz "We are destroying one of the wonders of the world, Venice, for the profit of a few who want to bring ships twice the size of the Titanic, at the cost of devastating the ecosystem, the foundations, and putting at risk the city’s architectural heritage, such as the Piazza San Marco"

"The Government is under pressure from the cruise lobby to give the green light to the construction of the new channel in a few days. But after the resignation of Lupi  (the Minister of Infrastructure), Renzi has to prove that the era of great works and great bribes is over."

Recently the Institute for the Protection and Environmental Research delivered a negative opinion on the excavation of the channel, which will allow access to these gigantic cruise ships. The scientific community is unanimous in its opinion that the lagoon, the only thing that defends Venice from the fury of the sea, simply will not exist if the project is approved.

Said Avaaz: "Some claim that the project for the dredging of the channel is crucial for tourism in Venice. But what they do not say is that there are two alternative designs, which would allow a combination of environmental development, stopping enormous cruise ships entering the lagoon and carrying tourists on smaller vessels."

"We are destroying the wonders of our country (not only Venice, think of the many collapses in Pompeii of these years) because of the neglect of politicians, the interests of speculators, but also our silence."

"Now we have the opportunity to redeem ourselves and defend our history, our territory, our environment."

As the infographic shows – 80,000 tourists visit Venice (with a population of 57,000) every day and cruise ship arrivals – which spend little in the city – are at an all-time record.

Valere Tjolle

@ValereTjolle

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