Sea-level rise and flooding are among the main climate change stressors challenging human society in the 21st century. Many coastal areas and cities are implementing innovative solutions to mitigate flood risks and enhance resilience. 

Venice has recently developed a system of storm surge mobile barriers, known as the MoSE (Modulo Sperimentale Elettromeccanico or Experimental Electromechanical Module).

A new study by an international team of scientists, including researchers from CMCC, entitled “Boon and burden: economic performance and future perspectives of the Venice flood protection system”, looks at the economic viability of MoSE operations in light of the potential future evolution of Sea Level Rise (SLR). The study considers costs and benefits of closures of the MoSE on the economic and residential sector of Venice and its port.

“Simulations are conducted considering two SLR scenarios from now to the end of the century,” explains co-author of the study and senior researcher at CMCC Margaretha Breil who contributed to the overall setting of the research and with assessments regarding the built environment.

“The study addresses exclusively economic aspects of this very controversial infrastructure, covering one important part of its long term sustainability while pointing to the necessity of investigating and preparing for further interventions to ensure a sustainable future for the city of Venice and its lagoon based on mid and long-term sea level rise scenarios,” says Breil.

The results of the study suggest that, in the short term, the economic benefits largely outweigh the costs of investment in building maintenance and losses of revenues for the port resulting from closures of the entrances of the lagoon due to closures of the MoSE system.

However, in the medium and long term, the increasing number of closures due to SLR comes with serious challenges to the viability of the infrastructure.

Furthermore, the study was limited to the economic dimension of costs and benefits, yet, very frequent closures will also have serious impacts on the quality of lagoon ecosystems which must be kept in consideration.

These findings suggest a revision and stronger integration of the city’s safeguarding strategies, including the increase of the MoSE closure level, officially set at 110 cm, and other coordinated interventions, such as sewer system consolidation.

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The results of the study are also further discussed in the April 11 Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei (FEEM) Seminar Series Webinar.

More information:

Giupponi, C., Bidoia, M., Breil, M. et al. Boon and burden: economic performance and future perspectives of the Venice flood protection system. Reg Environ Change 24, 44 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10113-024-02193-9