France and Venice move forward towards sustainability

Earlier this month, two European governments announced preventative and proactive measures to tackle environmental degradation and the climate crisis. In Venice, 700 cruise ships brought 1.6 million tourists to the world heritage site per year prior to COVID-19. As cruise ships travel through the city centre, they threaten the integrity of the delicate lagoon ecosystem. The Italian government announced that cruise ships must now by-pass the lagoon and disembark at a nearby industrial port to prevent potential environmental disasters. In France, members of parliament voted to suspend internal flights that can be completed by train within two and a half hours. With this proactive measure, CO2 emissions could see a substantial reduction as a plane “emits 77 times more CO2 per passenger than the train on these routes.” Other European countries are also considering similar solutions to curb the impact of domestic flights. COVID-19 has spurred reflection on the environmental costs of travel and inspired new routes towards sustainability.

Photo by Kit Suman on Unsplash

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