New Grids for Renewables and the Wadden Sea?

New Grids for Renewables and the Wadden Sea? Presentation at the Conference New Grids for Renewables! Berlin 10-11 Nov 2011 Dr. Hans-Ulrich Rösner WWF Germany Wadden Sea Office www.wwf.de/watt

Oil drilling, Dikes, Dams, Tourism, Fisheries, Pipelines, Wind Energy, Cables, Agriculture, Shipping, Deepening of Estuaries, Harbours,...... and where remains the Wadden Sea?

New Grids for Renewables and the Wadden Sea? The organisers question: How can nature conservation concerns for submarine cables crossing the Wadden Sea be solved and how can both climate protection and nature protection issues be harmonised? Too old fashioned, this presentation? Is nature conservation still important when it comes to the Energiewende? Will it raise more barriers/gaps between conservation and climate protection? No. Conservation needs to be higher on the agenda than ever before. And gaps can be bridged. However, all this is not easy! 1. The Wadden Sea 2. The Cables 3. The Wadden Sea II

Part 1 The Wadden Sea Dänemark Schleswig- Holstein Hamburg Niedersachsen Deutschland Niederlande Foto: CWSS

Introducing the Wadden Sea 10,000 km 2, 4,500 of these are tidal flats 400 km 2 saltmarshes 10-12 mio waterbirds (10% breeding) 25,000 harbour seals, 2,500 grea seals 70,000 inhabitants (3,7 mio in region) 10 mio tourists Denmark Schleswig- Holstein Shared by three countries Among the most natural places in Western Europe Hamburg Niedersachsen Germany Netherlands CWSS

Globally important ( Outstanding Universal Value ) for Geological processes: very young and dynamic ecosystem Ecologial processes: Productive inter-tidal ecosystem, many habitats, natural processes prevailing Biodiversity: 10-12 mio waterbirds from half the Arctic However, also as a model for transboundary cooperation on the protection of a joint nature area! Denmark Schleswig- Holstein Therefore Wadden Sea protected in all 3 countries National Parks in large parts of the area Hamburg 2009 inscribed as World Heritage Site Niedersachsen Germany Netherlands CWSS

The Wadden Sea: Milestones in protection 100 years ago: some small islands protected for seabird colonies Major losses of habitats due to embankments, leading to larger protected areas and proposals for National Parks Danish-German-Dutch Cooperation for the Protection of the Wadden Sea beginning 1978/1982 National Parks since 1985 Last large scale embankment in 1987 Guiding Principle of the three countries 1991: A natural and sustainable ecosystem in which natural processes proceed in an undisturbed way Joint Management Plan since 1997 Inscription as UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2009

The Wadden Sea: Despite protection Shipping: Risk for accidents, Deepening of estuaries, harbours Fisheries in Wadden Sea and adjacent North Sea not sustainable Alien species invading Tourism: Some problematic buildings and activities. Too much tourism? Nutrients and Toxics Old Energy: Oil drilling, coal power plants, plans for CCS New Energy: Not always sustainably implemented Coastal Protection: Reduction of natural dynamics, hard edges, dams, sepraration land/sea Largest challenge for the Wadden Sea and the whole region: Climate change with associated increased sea level rise

The Wadden Sea: Summing up Wadden Sea is a protected area according to all possible criteria. Remarkable cooperation among the three countries, net-loss of species and habitats stopped, great public support, acknowledged as World Heritage Site by UNESCO. But often slow and for some issues (e.g. oil drilling, fisheries) the ambition to implement is very low. For that reason habitats and species under water enjoy rather little protection. Vast challenge for the future: Implementing renewables (wind, but also others) sustainably, i.e. also compatible with nature and landscape. Preparing at the same time for climate adaptation (in particular concerning the increased sea level rise). Wadden Sea must grow with the sea!

Part 2 The Cables

The Cables: Too many! Previously just small cables: Mainly island supply and telecommunication Large Power Cables: Viking Cable (stopped about 10 years ago) Plans for cables to offshore wind farms: More than 100 had been foreseen in the beginning (DC-technique not expected at this time), now possibly about 30 Cables linking Norway and the southern North Sea coast: NorNed (finished, NL), NorGer (planned), Nord.Link (planned), others?

Karte nach BSH

The Cables: Why a Problem? Large scale construction works Mudflats getting heated, possible causing a change of species community along the cables Wilderness such as large parts of the Wadden Sea is the rarest nature we have, such areas should not be interrupted by technical installations Repeated construction works when cables are damaged or natural dynamics exposure them out of the ground Reality proved (and proves usually again) to be much more complicate than planners tend to anticipate when applying for permission: Cables get damaged, drillings do not work as planned, extra damage on the mudflat, loss of chemicals, bad weather,...

Bad example: This breeding colony of terns was detected after a Leerrohr (needed for crossing the dike with a cable) was layed very close to them

The Cables: Policy of Wadden Sea countries Wadden Sea Plan 2010 (11th Trilateral Governmental Conference on the Protection of the Wadden Sea): To concentrate cable crossings through the Wadden Sea within a minimum of cable corridors and a minimum of cables, using the best available techniques, e.g. cables with highest capacity available, and avoiding salt marshes crossing as far as possible, and to communicate regularly on this item in order to use synergies. And, remember the general rule: The Guiding Principle of the trilateral Wadden Sea policy is to achieve, as far as possible, a natural and sustainable ecosystem in which natural processes proceed in an undisturbed way.

Dänemark Sylt Two different routes for the cables connecting the planned offshore wind farms west of Schleswig- Holstein with the grid were not necessary. To reduce the impact on the National Park the plan for the northern one was cancelled. For the southern one altogether four DC-cables were permitted as an exceptional case. Schleswig- Holstein Helgoland Karte nach BSH

futur The Cables: Can "Norway-Cables" be convincing? * Prove of overriding public interest: For energy future? For economy (not just business economy)? Exchange of green power with Norway really certain? Really storage of power? Integration in North Sea Grid? Minimising impact in the most credible way: Priority to avoid further cables within National Parks by using other routes, by bundling, or by connection to an offshore wind cluster. If a cable would cross the Wadden Sea: Buried to an extent that risk of exposure and effects of heating are minimal, routing as less damaging as possible, construction with not more damage than permitted, full use of previous experiences, and comprehensive ökologische Baubegleitung. True compensation: Long-term impact require long-term compensation, i.e. reduction of other impacts, reversing human influences in certain habitats, funding of such measures by trust fund capital. * Preliminary statement, as applications with full information not yet filed

The Cables: Summing up There is already a very large contribution from the coast to the Energiewende. This contribution will become much larger. However, where are the limits of growth? How to balance better what is really necessary for society, and what may be just business economics camouflaged with an ethical flag? Burden of Proof for Norway-Cables is with the applicants (prove of overriding public interest, minimising impact in the most credible way, true compensation). Avoid black-white thinking in this matter and develop the WaddenSea Region as a true model: A well protected unique nature area, a sustainable economy around it, a large contribution to the Energiewende, a climate adaption allowing to save the Wadden Sea and to keep the people safe. The issue of Norway-Cables is one of many components in this framework. Dialogue processes (as e.g. for Nord.Link) probably a good idea, but costly also for stakeholders. They should focus on the really important issues, and they must be carried out in a way that other solutions are possible than those originally planned.

Part 3 The Wadden Sea II

Thank you for your attention! wwf.de/watt