Nord Stream 2: DUH and Nabu take action against further construction of controversial Baltic Sea pipeline

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Laying ship "Fortuna" in the Mecklenburg Bay: bird protection enough attention?

Photo: ANNEGRET HILSE / REUTERS

The Naturschutzbund Deutschland (Nabu) and Deutsche Umwelthilfe (DUH) oppose the construction of the Nord Stream 2 Baltic Sea gas pipeline. Corresponding letters have been received, confirmed the Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH).

The contradictions have suspensive effect - so the permit, which applies to German waters, is temporarily out of force.

The Nabu had already announced the objection on Friday after the BSH had approved the extension.

DUH managing director Sascha Müller-Kraenner had already announced that he would "definitely" object.

The environmental associations criticize arguments for protecting the environment and the climate have not been taken into account.

Construction is allowed during the particularly sensitive bird resting time. 

Actually, for nature conservation reasons, there is usually a construction freeze between autumn and summer.

However, the authority had decided that the interventions could be limited despite the work and that bird protection could be maintained.

The BSH assumes that it is »rather insignificant for certain species of roosting birds«, and it is also a frequently traveled area in some cases.

For the protection of seabirds, the BSH stipulates a maximum construction phase of 30 days with 14-day breaks for the period from January to May.

Approval for Russian ship granted

In the past, threats of sanctions by the USA against participating companies had already massively delayed the work.

The new approval was necessary, among other things, because a Swiss company, under pressure from the United States, withdrew its already approved special ships at the end of 2019.

After disembarking, Nord Stream 2 had to switch to a type of ship that is held or moved by other ships.

Such an "anchor-positioned" ship, the Russian "Fortuna", is intended to fill the gap created by the withdrawal of the Swiss.

Last December, the ship had already completed a 2.6-kilometer section of line in the German "Exclusive Economic Zone" (EEZ).

At the end of December, however, the approval of the BSH expired.

Green politician calls for stop after Navalny arrest

It is unclear when a decision will be made on the contradictions of the environmental associations.

Meanwhile, the arrest of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny on his return to Russia sparked further discussions about the project.

The project must "finally be shelved," said the foreign policy spokesman for the Green Group, Omid Nouripour, the newspapers of the editorial network Germany.

"The fact that Navalny's presence in Moscow leads to such overreactions by the Kremlin shows how absurd it is to place Germany's energy security in the hands of Gazprom."

The operating company of Nord Stream 2 had already expected a delay of several days last week.

Further construction could meanwhile also put a further strain on the relationship between Germany and the USA.

Washington rejects the construction of the 1200 km long tube on the grounds that it will make Europe even more dependent on Russian natural gas.

However, the USA also wants to sell its gas in Europe itself. 

According to the Russian energy company Gazprom, 94 percent of the controversial pipeline has been completed.

This means that more than 2,300 kilometers of double-strand pipes lie on the sea floor.

About 150 kilometers are still missing, i.e. 75 kilometers per strand - of which about 120 kilometers in Danish and about 30 kilometers in German waters.

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apr / Reuters / dpa