Environmental groups oppose oil extraction project off Usedom
Several environmental organizations and local authorities are demanding a halt to the planned oil extraction project by Canadian company Central European Petroleum (CEP) off the coasts of Usedom and Wollin islands.
A coalition of environmental groups, including Deutsche Umwelthilfe (DUH), WWF Germany, BUND Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, and EKO-UNIA, alongside the municipality of Heringsdorf, have called for an immediate stop to the planned Wolin East oil project by Canadian company Central European Petroleum (CEP) off the islands of Usedom and Wollin.
The project aims to extract oil, and potentially natural gas in the future, just six kilometers from Usedom's coast, with production scheduled to continue until 2060. Environmental organizations warn that this large-scale fossil fuel operation threatens the sensitive ecosystem of the adjacent Natura 2000 areas and the endangered Baltic Sea porpoise. The risk of an accident is also significant, with potential for up to 3,300 tons of oil to be released daily.
DUH's federal managing director, Sascha Müller-Kraenner, stated that turning the bay near Usedom into a fossil industrial park for decades is unacceptable. He criticized the company for downplaying the environmental consequences of potential oil spills and highlighted that the planned production duration contradicts German, Polish, and European climate goals. Laura Marisken, the mayor of Heringsdorf, expressed deep concern for the region's unique nature and tourism.
The environmental groups have submitted their statements on the transboundary environmental impact assessment and urge German and Polish authorities to halt the project. They argue that continued investment in fossil fuels runs counter to the transition towards renewable energy sources, a direction Poland is also pursuing with its offshore wind power initiatives.