VeniceS Fight against the rising Tide: A Professor’s Bold plan
venice, the iconic city of canals and gondolas, faces an existential threat: it is sinking. For years, the world has watched as this historic treasure slowly succumbs to the encroaching sea. The situation has become so dire that authorities have even introduced entry fees to manage the influx of tourists eager to see Venice before it’s too late.
The Grim Reality: A City Under Water
Hydrology professor Pietro Teatinini warns that Venice has sunk 25 centimeters in the last century.Compounding the problem, the sea level has risen nearly 30 centimeters since 1900. This combination of sinking land and rising water poses a severe challenge to the city’s survival.
Did You Know?
Venice attracts an estimated 25 to 30 million tourists annually. This influx puts additional strain on the city’s infrastructure and contributes to its environmental challenges.
project MOSE: A Costly Defense
Since the 1980s, Italy has been developing a massive flood barrier system known as MOSE (experimental Electromechanical Module) to protect Venice from extreme high tides. This system, which was first tested in 2020, consists of a series of retractable gates that can be raised to block incoming tides.
The MOSE system has been deployed approximately 100 times,far exceeding the initial expectation of only five uses per year. The project has already cost six billion euros, equivalent to more than 70 billion NOK.
However, the frequent use of the barriers has unintended consequences. Each time the gates are raised, the lagoon is closed off, disrupting transport to and from Italy’s second-busiest port and preventing the natural tidal cleansing of the lagoon.
Teatinini’s Radical Solution: Pumping Life Back into Venice
Professor Teatinini proposes a novel approach: injecting water into the subsoil beneath Venice to raise the ground level. He believes this could lift the city by 30 centimeters, providing a crucial 20 to 30-year window to develop a more permanent solution to rising sea levels.
We can say that we have 50 years ahead of us, including the life of the barrier, to develop a new strategy. We have to develop a much more drastic project.
Pietro teatinini, Hydrology Professor
Past mistakes and Future Hopes
The current crisis is not solely attributable to natural forces. In the 1960s and 1970s, excessive groundwater extraction from the industrial area of Marghera caused the city center to sink almost five centimeters in just two decades. This historical oversight underscores the need for sustainable and well-considered solutions.
Despite the existing flood barriers and significant investments, Venice continues to face meaningful challenges. The city is sinking at a rate of two millimeters per year, while the tide rises by five millimeters annually. Teatinini’s plan offers a glimmer of hope,a chance for Venice to literally rise above its problems.
Pro tip
support sustainable tourism initiatives when visiting Venice. Choose eco-amiable accommodations and tours to minimize your impact on the city’s fragile environment.
