Nature or the natural world, considered as a system. - Isles demand cessation of proposed gas extraction. The Islands request a stop to the planned natural gas extraction. Islands urge halting planned natural gas extraction. Isles seek to prevent planned natural gas extraction.
Following approval from the Netherlands for a contentious gas exploration project in the North Sea near the Wadden Sea, the islands of Borkum and Juist are calling on the Lower Saxony state government to halt the project on the German side. The mayors of both islands have penned a letter to Environment Minister Christian Meyer (Greens), stating that "the proposed gas project is not in line with German marine and climate protection targets or the status as a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site." They urge that the Lower Saxony planning approval process be terminated and drum up support by addressing Minister President Stephan Weil and Economic Minister Olaf Lies (both SPD).
A consortium fronted by the company One-Dyas plans to extract gas from a North Sea field. To achieve this, a production platform will be constructed on Dutch sovereign land around 23 kilometers northwest of Borkum. According to the plan, gas will be extracted in both Dutch and German territories, near the Lower Saxony Wadden Sea National Park. To carry out the drilling, permits from both nations are needed. The Dutch Economic Ministry approved the gas exploration on Wednesday. The German approval process is managed by the Lower Saxony Mining Authority.
Though the impending gas exploration doesn't directly affect the World Natural Heritage Site, it does have a bearing on the entire Wadden Sea ecosystem. The mayors question how the technology, which has wrought significant damage on the Dutch mainland for decades and perpetually unsettled the population, can now be adopted for the sea, a crucial tool in the fight against climate change and a habitat for various living creatures.
There has been a diverse range of opinions on the project within the red-green state government recently. Environment and Energy Minister Christian Meyer recently stated that the need for gas exploration off the coast of Lower Saxony, in light of his ministry's climate goals and Lower Saxony's broader context, "no longer exists fundamentally." He also expressed that the project is not approvable from his perspective. Minster President Stephan Weil has yet to publicly voice his thoughts. "This is not a matter of political caprice," said the SPD politician in June 2021. The ability to receive a permit will principally hinge on the evaluation.
For further information on the German planning approval process, One-Dyas's gas exploration project, and the associated communications, see these links:- Information on the German planning approval process- Communication from the German Economy Ministry (29.5.) (Dutch)- Communication from Environmental Aid and the Islands (31.5.)
