Exaggerated environmental claims in canal row

[Alan de Enfield]

 

 

Poland has accused Russia of using exaggerated environmental concerns to try to stop the construction of a canal project in a row over access to the Baltic Sea.

Russian news outlets have spent at least the past five years claiming the Vistula Spit canal will damage an EU-protected nature park. The canal cuts across a Polish section of the Vistula Spit, giving the country direct access to the Baltic Sea. Previously, all marine access was through the Russia-controlled Pilawa strait in the exclave of Kaliningrad.

 

Regardless of Polish efforts to debunk claims of environmental damage, the European court of justice (ECJ) believes the canal would be damaging to local wildlife and the lagoon’s biodiversity. The project was deemed to be in breach of the habitats directive of the European Commission. Despite Europe’s concerns, the Polish government pushed the project through and started digging through the EU-protected park. The ECJ threatened a €100,000 fine for every day that the canal was under construction but no fine has actually been enforced since the court ruling.

 

“I don’t think environmental protection has suddenly become very important to the Russian government,” he said. “The Russian claims are fantasies aimed at not completing the investment, which could strengthen Poland’s sovereignty and make it independent of the Russian side’s decisions regarding the passage of ships.”

Three ecological experts told the Guardian the canal would have a minimal impact on the local environment.

Prof Jan Marcin Węsławski at the Polish Academy of Sciences, Prof Lech Stempniewicz and Dr Michał Goc at the University of Gdańsk, said: “The canal will probably have little or no effect on the marine environment because it is a sluice gate closed on two sides, so the flow of water between the Gulf of Gdańsk and the Vistula Lagoon will be minimal.”

 

Poland accuses Russia of exaggerated environmental claims in canal row | Poland | The Guardian

[Bacchus]

According to Wiki the Russian fears seem to be NATO ships entering the lagoon without having to pass through Russian controlled waters. Possibly a reasonable concern under the circumstances

[MtB]

That doesn't appear to be a proper canal to me.

 

Not the slightest mention of where the Elsans or pump-out stations are gonna be.

 

 

[Creaking Gate]

....Just waiting for the inevitable blame pointing towards CaRT 🤣