Venice

If sea levels continue to rise over the next 100 years, the future for Venice will be increasingly precarious, with the frequency and severity of acqua alta (high water) events expected to rise dramatically. Scientific projections suggest that by 2100, the city could face a sea level increase of tens of centimeters, depending on global emissions scenarios, potentially leading to widespread, catastrophic flooding similar to or worse than the 2019 events. With ongoing land subsidence compounding the problem, Venice faces a scenario where much of the city could be regularly or even permanently underwater without continuous, aggressive mitigation. The possibility of flooding in Venice is absolutely a global environmental issue because its fate is directly tied to the worldwide phenomenon of climate change and rising sea levels, which threatens coastal cities and cultural heritage sites across the globe.

The MOSE Project (Modulo Sperimentale Elettromeccanico), a system of mobile barriers designed to protect Venice from high tides, appears to be an ambitious and effective technological marvel in its core function—successfully blocking the sea to prevent major flooding events, as demonstrated during its first operations. However, the project's development has been plagued by significant controversy, including massive cost overruns, prolonged delays, and a major corruption scandal involving high-profile arrests. Questions that seem to remain largely unanswered include: What is the long-term ecological impact of frequently closing the barriers on the lagoon's fragile ecosystem, including water quality and sediment movement, and how will these closures affect the salt marshes? Furthermore, given the rate of sea-level rise, what is the maximum projected sea level that the MOSE system can effectively and sustainably manage before it must be closed so frequently that the lagoon becomes an essentially closed, stagnant basin?

Sample Answer

The city of Venice originated as a refuge for people fleeing from mainland Italy. Beginning around the 5th and 6th centuries AD, residents of Roman cities like Padua, Aquileia, and Altino sought safety on the small, isolated islands and marshy areas of the Venetian Lagoon to escape successive waves of invaders, particularly the Huns and the Lombards. The lagoon's natural isolation and treacherous waters provided an effective defense, allowing the small settlements to endure and coalesce into a self-governed community. Venice thrived by leveraging its unique geographical position to become a major trading power, connecting Europe with the Levant and the East. Its immense wealth was initially built upon salt production and later cemented through control of vital trade routes for goods like spices, silk, and grain, supported by a formidable navy and a renowned shipyard, the Venetian Arsenal.The city of Venice originated as a refuge for people fleeing from mainland Italy. Beginning around the 5th and 6th centuries AD, residents of Roman cities like Padua, Aquileia, and Altino sought safety on the small, isolated islands and marshy areas of the Venetian Lagoon to escape successive waves of invaders, particularly the Huns and the Lombards. The lagoon's natural isolation and treacherous waters provided an effective defense, allowing the small settlements to endure and coalesce into a self-governed community. Venice thrived by leveraging its unique geographical position to become a major trading power, connecting Europe with the Levant and the East. Its immense wealth was initially built upon salt production and later cemented through control of vital trade routes for goods like spices, silk, and grain, supported by a formidable navy and a renowned shipyard, the Venetian Arsenal.