Energy: Cabinet agrees with Gas funding in front of Borkum

The controversial plans for gas production in front of the North Sea island of Borkum have overcome an important hurdle. The cabinet approved a gas promotion agreement with the Netherlands in Berlin. The international law agreement is necessary because it is about the development of cross -border gas fields. Environmental associations and parts of the Lower Saxony state government are against the project.

Further steps are pending

The promotion with the cabinet decision is not yet a decided thing. A so -called Contract Act is still necessary, which according to the Ministry of Economic Affairs must agree to the Bundestag and the Federal Council. There are also several court decisions.

The Federal Government’s decision is a U-turn compared to the course of the traffic light coalition of the SPD, Greens and FDP. The then Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck (Greens) had declared during his term in August 2024 that he wanted to wait for possible judgments before signing the agreement.

An alliance of environmental protection organizations for the German Environmental Aid (DUH) and the island of Borkum complains against gas funding in front of the Lower Saxony Higher Administrative Court in Lüneburg. They fear environmental damage for the neighboring UNESCO World Heritage Site Wadden Sea.

Sharp criticism from the Greens

The current coalition of the CDU, CSU and SPD, on the other hand, has agreed to use the potential of conventional gas funding in Germany “in the coalition agreement. Habeck’s successor Katherina Reiche (CDU) explained to the decision: “This not only strengthens the security of our neighbors’ security of care, but also the European gas market – and thus us.”

Greens Group Vice Julia Verlinden criticized the decision sharply and spoke of completely unnecessary. Lower Saxony’s Energy and Climate Protection Minister Christian Meyer (Greens) said: “New gas funding on the edge of the Wadden Sea counter cars the climate targets and looks like a pure complacency for fossil gas companies.” He emphasized: “Gas funding is harmful to the climate and endangers our unique, common Wadden Sea World Heritage Site.” The Ministry of Economic Affairs, on the other hand, argues that the project does not contradict the climate goals, since the companies involved would have promised to promote natural gas only as long as natural gas in the Netherlands and Germany is in demand.

Group has other gas fields at a glance

The Dutch energy group One-Dyas wants to promote gas from a cross-border occurrence near the Wadden Sea. One-dyas plans to promote gas from a drilling platform on Dutch territory, even under the sea floor in the German area. The Lower Saxony State Office for Mining, Energy and Geology had granted 18 years of approval for this. In addition, One-Dyas has other neighboring gas fields in the North Sea.

The German Environmental Aid, one of the plaintiffs in still ongoing proceedings, accused the Federal Government to put pressure on the responsible courts and approval authorities with the agreement. “For biodiversity in the North Sea, further industrialization would have a devastating consequences. Valuable reefs and endangered animals such as the pork whale must not become the victims of the fossil industry.”

Environment Minister: No gas funding in marine protection areas

In the cabinet resolution that is presented by the German Press Agency, in addition to gas production, it is also emphasized that marine protection should be strengthened. “To achieve this, there is an additional need for action. Gas funding in protected areas is opposed.” From the perspective of Federal Environment Minister Carsten Schneider, this is to be understood as a message to possible investors. “Gas funding should not exist in the German protected areas,” said the SPD politician. Sea protection areas should not be endangered by holes. “We will quickly present an adapted legal framework.”