Marco Marani on the Dual Threat of Sinking Land and Rising Seas

In a new collaboration between the Planet Classroom Network and the Protect Our Planet Movement, Marani details why traditional engineering, such as Venice’s MOSE storm-surge barriers, represents only a partial solution. While these barriers prevent immediate inundation, they simultaneously disrupt the natural sediment accumulation necessary for salt marshes to survive. These ecosystems are vital natural defenses that mitigate flooding and sustain biodiversity, yet roughly 50 percent of global marsh areas have already been lost to drowning as they fail to keep pace with accelerating water levels.

Marani emphasizes that managing coastal risk requires moving beyond static infrastructure. He advocates for a strategy that integrates geological and biological sciences, urging leaders to balance the protection of immovable heritage sites like Venice with the necessity of managed retreat in other vulnerable regions. The conversation, hosted by youth climate advocate Ivan Ransom, serves as a primer for policymakers on why modern adaptation must prioritize the preservation of the natural ecosystems that shield human settlements from the encroaching sea.