Joint press release by Deutscher Naturschutzring (DNR), Deutsche Umwelthilfe (DUH), WWF Deutschland, Naturschutzbund Deutschland (NABU), Bund für Umwelt und Naturschutz Deutschland (BUND) Brandenburg, Grüne Liga Brandenburg and NaturFreunde Brandenburg

Several German environmental associations, in coordination with their Polish partner associations, have lodged a formal objection against the decision of the Director of the Environment in Szczecin, Poland, to approve the expansion of the Odra river. The German environmental organisations are convinced that the expansion would have a massive impact on valuable natural landscapes along the Odra river. The appeal also opens up the possibility for the environmental organisations to take legal action against the project.

The state water company Wody Polskie claims that the deepening of the Odra river is necessary for icebreaker operations in case of critical ice jams on 80 to 90 % of the year. At the same time, it would also improve fairway conditions for inland navigation. However, the environmental associations do not see any improvement in flood protection through the planned deepening of the Odra and even fear an increase in water levels during floods. The expansion project was also rejected in the environmental committee of the Brandenburg state parliament. "We welcome the broad rejection of the project that became clear in the committee. The state government should present the negative impacts of the expansion to the people in the Oderbruch and advocate for the federal government to take action vis-à-vis the Polish government," explains Carsten Preuß, Chairman of BUND Brandenburg.

FROM THE 24^TH OF FEBRUARY UNTIL THE 18^TH OF MARCH 2021

Seminar 4

The role of Germany in achieving access to water here and worldwide

Seminar 3: Hydropower  

A wooden path for climate change and development policy

Seminar 2: From flooding to water stress

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