- Land: Federal government must decide on gas drilling before Borkum
The decision on whether the controversial gas extraction off Borkum can begin now lies with the federal government, according to Lower Saxony, following the approval by a state authority. It is up to the federal government to reach an agreement with the Netherlands on this matter, said Lower Saxony's Minister of Economics, Olaf Lies (SPD). "This is the final decision. These are ultimately also energy and geostrategic decisions that the federal government must make."
Similarly, the state's Minister for the Environment and Energy, Christian Meyer, stated: "The political decision on whether gas will be extracted off Borkum still lies at the federal level," said the Green politician.
Germany has been negotiating with the Netherlands since 2022.
Meyer emphasized that the approval by the responsible state authority does not change his critical stance on the project. "Lower Saxony aims to be climate-neutral by 2040 and relies 100% on renewable energies and heat. From a climate protection perspective, new fossil gas or oil extraction is therefore unnecessary," he said.
According to the Federal Ministry of Economics, talks with the Netherlands on an agreement for the project have been ongoing since 2022. Environmental organizations have already announced legal action against the approval by the Lower Saxony State Authority for Mining, Energy and Geology.
The environmental implications of extracting gas off Borkum are a significant consideration, as Lower Saxony's Minister for the Environment and Energy, Christian Meyer, emphasizes that his climate-neutral 2040 goal relies on renewable energies, making new fossil gas extraction unnecessary for environmental reasons.
The Dutch-German negotiations about the controversial gas extraction off Borkum, initially initiated in 2022, have a direct impact on the environment, as progress in these discussions could potentially influence the future of gas extraction and its associated environmental consequences.
