FILM OF DEBATE: Modernisation, development and conservation. Click on the image below to view this film
Book review of Roger Scruton’s ‘Green Philosophy’: weaknesses in thinking seriously about the planet. Click on the image below to read the review
Venice’s Festa della Sensa on May 7-8 2016 symbolises the city’s changing environmental, political, economic, religious and military relationships
Venice’s Festa della Sensa will be held on 7-8 May 2016. Sensa is Venetian for Ascension referring to the Ascension of Christ. Yet Ascension Day (40 days after Easter) in Venice also celebrates the ceremony of Spozalizio del Mare (Marriage to the Sea). The changing role of this ceremony symbolizes Venice’s changing environmental, military, political, religious and economic … Continue reading
Should we build in flood-prone areas? Contribution to debate in Prospect Magazine
Following heavy flooding in the UK, Prospect Magazine published an article on 8 January 2016 with five different contributors debating whether construction in flood-prone areas should go ahead. Although Venice is a very unique environment, I ask if Venetians could innovate to cope with flooding, why can’t people in other flood-prone places be defended? This … Continue reading
International Business Times article: Changing Oceans Provide Opportunities, not Apocalypse in Venice & Elsewhere
The International Business Times published the article in the link and text below by Dominic Standish on 13 October 2015. Link: Barack Obama’s apocalyptic warnings about our oceans betray the opportunities hidden in their depths These themes will be explored further in this debate in London on 17 October 2015 at the Barbican Centre: Plumbing … Continue reading
Battle over Venice cruise ship exhibition indicative of wider battle for the oceans
Venice’s Maritime Port An exhibition depicting cruise ships sailing through the Venetian lagoon will open in Venice on 22 October 2015 after it was previously blocked by the Mayor of Venice, Luigi Brugnaro. The exhibition of photographs by Gianni Berengo Gardin was due to open on the weekend of 19 September 2015 in the prestigious … Continue reading
Inside Venice’s bid to hold back the tide – article on the city’s MOSE dams in The Guardian
This article by journalist Antonia Windsor was published by The Guardian (UK) in its resilient cities series on 16 June 2015. The article is a perceptive insight into the discussion about Venice sinking and especially protecting the city with the MOSE flood barriers, which are nearing completion. There are numerous quotes from key figures involved … Continue reading
Venice’s MOSE dams delayed with added costs of €150 million
This week revealing reports have explained that work on the MOSE dam project has been on hold for the last eight months at an estimated cost of €150 million. Promised tranches of funds to continue the project from the CIPE committee charged with releasing them have not been forthcoming. It is estimated it takes approximately … Continue reading
President of Venice port authority proposes underground subway train system linked to a new cruise ship terminal
An underground subway train system for Venice is back on the agenda. As the debate about how to manage cruise ships in Venice rages, a report on 15 March 2015 states that the President of Venice Port Authority, Paolo Costa, has sent a proposal to Rome to create a cruise ship terminal on the Lido … Continue reading
Would a cable car system for Venice be positive for transporting cruise passengers and others around the city?
Any thoughts on this project to connect Venice airport and other parts of Venice with cable cars? See this article in Italian: Laguna_cabinovia The cost is projected at €200M, it would take 26 minutes to get from the airport to Lido with other stations at Murano North, Fondamente Nove, Arsenale, Certosa and Santa Maria Elisabetta. … Continue reading
Venice’s MoSE dam project facing legitimate and illegitimate criticisms
Venice’s mobile dam project has been mired in controversy over the last 30 years with environmentalists usually opposing it while many Venetians hope the dams will significantly reduce high flooding in Venice and islands throughout the lagoon. This week the project faced new criticisms as it approaches completion, estimated for 2017. Firstly, it was claimed … Continue reading
Definitive layout presented for offshore platform for Venice
Plans to develop Venice’s port with an offshore platform and changes to onshore facilities are progressing. It was reported on 11 November 2014 that the Dutch company Royal Haskoning DHV presented its definitive layout of the platform to Venice’s Port Authority: Terminal offshore, consegnato layout definitivo The cost of the project has been reduced and … Continue reading
Click on the image below to order this book from Amazon.com . Other buying options are available on the page above listed ‘Book information’
Book Review of ‘Venice in Environmental Peril? Myth and Reality’ by Elisabetta Gasparoni. Click on the image below to read the review on Spiked Review of Books
New York Times/International Herald Tribune. My comments on Pierre Cardin’s proposed LIght Palace for Venice. Click on the image below to read the article
‘Plumbing the depths: the battle for the oceans’. Debate at ‘Battle of Ideas’ Conference, Barbican, London, 17 October 2015. Click on image below for 6 minute film of introductory remarks by Dominic Standish
‘Plumbing the depths: the battle for the oceans’. Click on ‘Battle of Ideas’ image below for debate speaker and topic details, plus a Soundcloud link to listen to the debate.
Inside Venice’s bid to hold back the tide – my comments in The Guardian newspaper website. Click on the picture below to go to the article
Film of debate: ‘Death in Venice: Is Tourism Killing or Saving the City?’ Click on the image below to view this film
‘Italy: Renewables Policy as a Barrier to Energy Innovation.’ Click on the image below for a link to the paper
