Greta Thunberg banned from Venice after dyeing Grand Canal green

In a mock funeral procession, adorned in red with veiled faces, the protest coincided with the conclusion of the environmental conference. A banner reading “Stop Ecocide” was also displayed from the Rialto Bridge and the dressed-up protestors walked slowly through crowds of tourists. Luca Zaia, the regional governor of Venice, told The Independent that the protest was “a disrespectful act toward our city, its history, and its fragility.”

He claimed that the gesture “risks having consequences for the environment.”

However, the activists involved claimed they used a dye which is environmentally harmless to criticise the progress of the world’s transition away from fossil fuels.

Venice is certainly fragile, since it is especially vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. For example, Piazza San Marco floods approximately 250 times a year, a figure which has only increased in the face of rising seas and storm surges. Experts have warned that the city could be submerged by 2100 as a result of the increasing sea levels, highlighting the dangers which the city will no doubt face in the future.

This protest follows the absence of the United States at the COP30 summit, as well as the European Union’s initial threat to veto an already relatively weak agreement, before signing a deal which has received criticism for its lack of urgency regarding emissions cuts. A ‘road map’ to transition away from the use of fossil fuels will not be found in the agreement, despite more than 80 countries having advocated for this.

There will be a separate proposal issued by the President of COP30, André Corrêa do Lago, and his team, which will include a fossil fuel transition plan, although there is no doubt that this will have less of an impact than if such a deal had been accepted at a United Nations conference.

Greta Thunberg (now 23 years old) rose to fame at the age of 15 by sitting in front of the Swedish parliament. She stunned and impressed many with her concern about the climate crisis at such a young age, although she also faced criticism for this. Her involvement in this recent protest suggests that her determination to fight for sustainability and to raise awareness about climate change has not faded as she has grown up.

As with any climate activism, it has been criticised by some for its potentially harmful effects, despite the allegedly safe nature of the green dye used.

Furthermore, it is important to note that this demonstration was only one in a series of protests at lakes, fountains and waterways over the span of 10 Italian cities. It has drawn attention to the COP30 conference, and the controversy surrounding it, as the summit reaches its conclusion.