Germany's Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union (NABU) has filed a lawsuit with the Hamburg Administrative Court against the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline in Germany's exclusive economic zone.
That's according to Deutsche Welle's Ukrainian service referring to the Union's press service.
In early April, the Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH) rejected environmentalists' objections to the construction of the last remaining pipe section.
Read alsoBy stocking up on antidote for Nord Stream 2 workers, Russia admits chemical threat – Lithuanian analystThey argued the site, about 16.5 kilometers long, runs along the boundaries of the bird sanctuary, and therefore it is of little importance to a number of bird species resting there.
Environmentalists believe the only way to curb further harm to the Baltic Sea is through litigation. According to them, the construction of the gas pipeline destroys marine flora and fauna in the area of more than 16 football fields.
Nord Stream 2: Background
- The Nord Stream 2 project envisages the construction and operation of two gas pipeline branches with a total throughput capacity of 55 billion cubic meters of natural gas per year from the coast of Russia through the Baltic Sea to Germany. It should connect Russia's Ust-Lug and Germany's Greifswald. This new pipeline bypassing Ukraine is to be built next to the existing Nord Stream 1 pipeline.
- The construction of the pipeline was expected to be completed before the end of 2019.
- The project involving a 1,220 km-long pipe is being implemented by Russia's Gazprom in alliance with a number of European companies. Ukraine stands against the construction, facing a highly likely loss of transit revenues at an estimated US$3 billion annually. The project is also highly criticized by the U.S., Poland, and the Baltic States.
- The Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline has already been completed by more than 90%.
- The United States has imposed a series of sanctions against Nord Stream 2 and has repeatedly called on European allies and private companies to stop all works on the project.
- On January 7, 2021, a fund was established in Germany to support the completion of the Nord Stream 2 project.
- Eighteen companies have already refused to participate in the project or are planning to do so fearing U.S. sanctions.
- On March 14, 2021, Executive Vice-President for the European Green Deal Frans Timmermans said Europe did not need the Nord Stream 2 pipeline. Despite this, Germany continues to insist on the completion of the project.
- On March 19, 2021, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken called on the companies involved in the construction of Nord Stream 2 to immediately halt pipe-laying, threatening new sanctions.
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called Russia's Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline a trap for all countries across Europe.
- On April 20, 2021, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Ukraine should remain a transit country for Russian gas to Europe, despite Germany's decision to complete the construction of the Russian Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline.
