In order to protect the ancient city Venice from rising flood waters a massive engineering project has been undertaken to build massive mobile flood gates in hopes of stemming the rising water. Venice has long been subject to floods as rise sea levels, caused by global warming, threaten to sink this beautiful city. These rising flood waters are most dangerous during high tide, where water seeps into the ground floors of buildings. The massive flood gates being built will hopefully solve this problem. By placing 78 of these massive flood gates in the 3 inlets that lead to the lagoon where Venice is built they can be raised during high tide thus lowering the water level. This project, called MOSE, is already 54 percent complete. However there has been controversy over the long term effects such technology will have on the environment. Marine scientist Laura Carbognin fears that rising sea levels will cause the flood gates to be closed for long periods of time. This will cut off the lagoon from vital exchanges with the ocean, destroying its ecosystem. Laura Carbognin proposes a more expensive but more environmentally sound solution. It involves injecting salt water and carbon into the deep formation of Venice itself could raise the island up to 30 centimeters in 10 years.
This just shows how dangerous global warming is to us. These rising waters could possibly destroy one of the oldest and most culturally significant cities of our time. However the current solution that is being enacted will probably cause even more problems. If the lagoon which surrounds Venice is cut off from the ocean, much of the life that lives in it now will probably die. The loss of so much sea life would be catastrophic. I personally agree with Laura Carbognin’s solution of raising the Venice itself rather then trying to lower the water. Her plan seems to be more environmentally friendly with less long lasting consequences.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=112995748&ft=1&f=1025
Ryan Cowen