Dutch gas plan near german UNESCO site sparks political clash
The Dutch company plans to extract gas near the German island of Borkum in the North Sea. The plans are causing a stir in Germany, and the government officials are not speaking with one voice. The Minister of Economy is a Green Party politician "playing for time".
The Dutch company One-Dyas seeks gas extraction on the popular tourist island of Borkum. Preparations for the drilling platform's construction are taking place on Dutch territory, right at the border with Germany. However, the plans involve extraction deep under the seabed in German territory, which has sparked a heated debate.
The Mayor wants to "explore legal steps," the minister delays
"Deutsche Welle" reports that Borkum's Mayor Jürgen Akkermann does not intend to let this issue go. "We will now intensively analyse the decision to approve the plan, and, of course, we will explore legal steps," he declared.
The service suspects that the mayor is likely concerned about the image of the island, which attracts holidaymakers, among other reasons, because of its location—it sits in the middle of the Wadden Sea, which is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
The Lower Saxony Ministry of Economy stated that natural gas as an energy source is detrimental to the climate in the long term. Despite this, it was pointed out that it would still be necessary for the next 20 years in both Germany and the Netherlands.
The company's plan has gained the support of the right-wing populist government in The Hague. In Germany, however, the decision rests with Economy Minister and Vice-Chancellor Robert Habeck from the Green Party.
Germany and the Netherlands would have to agree if the gas extraction project were to be continued. However, "Deutsche Welle" reports that the German minister is "playing for time." Initially, he stated that the project is unnecessary in the context of gas supplies to Germany, and now he intends to wait for any possible legal proceedings.
Meanwhile, everything indicates that Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Finance Minister Christian Lindner from the liberal FDP party would be willing to agree to the project. Scholz admitted in an interview with German radio that he assumes that financing will soon be secured.
"There are permits on the Dutch side. There are permits on the German side," emphasised the chancellor. "DW" indicates that it is very unlikely that the project will not be realised.
Environmentalists protest and want to go to court
Despite this, the future of the project is unclear, as several environmental organisations want to challenge it in court.
"If indeed (ministers and the chancellor) make a deal with the Netherlands to exploit the gas field near the UNESCO-listed Wadden Sea, they will stand on the wrong side of history in the age of the climate crisis. Germany does not need new gas; the drilling is incompatible with international climate goals, and the massive protests against them show that people do not want this," stated Martin Kaiser from Greenpeace in an interview with "DW".
The gas extraction plans near the Wadden Sea National Park have also alarmed Environment Minister Steffi Lemke. "The North Sea is already heavily exploited, and any further industrial activity at sea poses a threat to marine animals and plants," she argued.
At the beginning of the week, environmental organisations decided to manifest their opposition to the project through a protest in front of the Ministry of Economy in Berlin. Over the weekend, a demonstration also took place in Borkum itself, with organisers claiming that about 2,000 people protested.
Where does Germany get its gas from?
"DW" points out that the dispute over the project proves how the gas situation in Germany has changed. In January 2022, Germany still imported almost 220,000 megajoules of gas (mostly from Russia, and the rest from Norway, Belgium, and the Netherlands).
Currently, Germany imports just over 74,000 megajoules of gas. Supplies from Russia have been completely halted due to the war in Ukraine, and the main source of gas has become Norway (followed by Belgium and the Netherlands). Liquefied natural gas (LNG) is imported, among others, from the USA.
Meanwhile, in terms of costs, experts point out that gas prices are still influenced by the war. According to a report by the Polish Economic Institute (PIE), a decrease in Russian gas imports by around 7%, associated with a 13% lower transit through Ukraine, caused a rise in gas prices on European markets by 11%. This was contributed to by the offensive in the Kursk region, through which the Urengoy-Pomary-Uzhhorod gas pipeline runs.
