Venice flooding and sea level: past evolution, present issues, and future projections (introduction to the special issue)

Abstract. Venice is an iconic place and a paradigm of huge historical cultural values at risk. The frequency the flooding city centre has dramatically increased in recent decades, this threat expected to continue grow – even accelerate through century. This special issue collection three review articles addressing different complementary aspects hazards causing floods Venice, namely (1) relative sea level rise, (2) occurrence extreme water heights, (3) prediction heights floods. It emerges that effect compound events poses critical challenges forecast floods, particularly from perspective effectively operating new mobile barriers (Modulo Sperimentale Elettromeccanico MoSE) rise key factor determining future growth flood hazard, so present defence strategy likely become inadequate within century under high-emission scenario. Two strands research are needed future. First, there need better understand reduce uncertainty evolution its extremes Venice. However, might not be substantially reduced near future, reflecting uncertain anthropogenic emissions structural model features. Hence, adaptive planning strategies appropriate for conditions should explored developed