Nature conservation - Goldschmidt sees debate on Baltic Sea National Park as a success
Despite the impending failure of his plans for a Baltic Sea National Park, Schleswig-Holstein's Environment Minister Tobias Goldschmidt sees progress on the issue. The Green politician said in the state parliament on Wednesday that thanks to the debate, people were once again concerned with the state of the Baltic Sea. "That is an incredible success for a sea that has always been forgotten." However, he conceded that there was not only soft opposition to the plans.
The FDP failed in parliament on Wednesday with its proposal to set up a commission of inquiry to better protect the sea. At the beginning of December, Minister President Daniel Günther (CDU) had announced at the presentation of more than 93,500 signatures from supporters of a national park that he would present a concept together with Goldschmidt in mid-February 2024 because the Baltic Sea needs large-scale protection.
FDP environmental politician Oliver Kumbartzky emphasized that a commission is exactly the right way to achieve this. However, 2023 was a lost year for the protection of the Baltic Sea. "It's no longer about the national park, because Minister Goldschmidt's national park dreams have been dashed." The CDU had cleared the issue. What remains of the consultation process initiated by Goldschmidt is a clear commitment from all those involved for better protection.
In March, Goldschmidt launched a so-called consultation process on a possible national park. However, the coalition partner CDU rejects a national park. Instead, the CDU wants to improve the poor state of the sea with the help of voluntary agreements, rocky reefs and seagrass beds. During the consultations, tourism companies and associations in particular, but also many coastal municipalities, spoke out against a national park. They fear restrictions on water sports, for example. Support for a national park came from environmental associations.
At the very beginning of the consultations, a commission would have been an option, said CDU environmental politician Cornelia Schmachtenberg. "But we are already further along in the process." A commission of inquiry would not be enough. The results of the consultations must be taken seriously. It is not just a matter of government action. Ultimately, the state parliament would decide on the Black-Green proposal.
SPD environmental politician Sandra Redmann considers the administrative burden of such a commission to be too great. Baltic Sea protection is also not a task for the future. Agriculture Minister Werner Schwarz and Economics Minister Claus Ruhe Madsen (both CDU) had already condemned a national park to failure before the evaluation of the consultations began. Now the Minister President has apparently declared the issue to be a top priority. "If Layla wasn't a madam but a mermaid, I would have more confidence," said Redmann, referring to the fact that the Minister President had sung along to the sexist party hit "Layla" in a marquee at Kieler Woche in the summer.
SSW environmental politician Christian Dirschauer also called for action to protect the Baltic Sea. There is no lack of knowledge. "The Enquete Commission could delay important decisions on the protection of the Baltic Sea."
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Source: www.stern.de
