Venice Against the Sea

"Venice is sinking - six feet over the past thousand years. Although there is a natural geologic tendency for some sinking, humans have exacerbated the problem by exploiting on a massive scale underground water resources for industrial purposes. The heating of the atmosphere after the last ice age has led to a steady, continuing rise in sea level." "Venice Against the Sea explains how the city and its 177 canals were built and what has led up to this long-forseen crisis. It explores the various options currently being considered for addressing this problem and chronicles the ongoing debate among scientists, engineers, and politicians about the pros and cons of each potential solution."--Jacket.