Economic Committee Dithmarschen: No wind turbine in protected areas

Economic Committee Dithmarschen: No wind turbine in protected areas

In the Dithmarscher district council, the Economic Committee recently made a significant decision: With six to four votes, it was decided that no new wind turbines should be built in the district's landscape protection areas. This is in the context of the federal law guidelines that allow such areas for wind power to achieve Schleswig-Holstein's goal until 2027 to reserve at least three percent of the state area as priority areas for wind energy. Despite these framework conditions, the committee decided that such areas in Dithmarschen should remain excluded.

NEEL NISSE, the chairman of the Economic Committee and member of the FDP, expressed that wind energy played an indispensable role in the energy transition, but the district of Dithmarschen had already implemented far-reaching measures before the NDR Schleswig-Holstein. Nissen emphasized that many regions had reached the "limits of resilience". This is a central reason for the decision not to open landscape protection areas for new wind turbines. This wants to ensure that these areas are preserved for their recreational functions and for nature and species protection.

economic and ecological balance

The decision of the Economic Committee illustrates the need to find a balance between economic interests and ecological matters. In the past, Dithmarschen has already installed numerous wind turbines, which on the one hand contributed to the local economy, but on the other hand, but also burdened the natural resources and the landscape. The current vote is a kind of response to the concerned voices among the population, which see an increase in wind turbines as a threat to the natural beauty and recreational value of the region.

Now it is due to the state of Schleswig-Holstein, whether it fulfills the wish of the district council or not. The Economic Committee expects a decision from Kiel in February. It remains to be seen whether the country will take into account the local concerns and that the landscape protection areas are released from the priority areas for wind energy or whether it is increasing the plans for designation more.

The discussion about wind energy in Dithmarschen is part of a larger debate field. On the one hand, the urgent need for renewable energies to combat climate change stands, on the other hand, the question of the extent to which natural and protected areas should be sacrificed to the energy requirement. While wind power is considered indispensable for the energy transition, there are also justified concerns about the effects on the local flora and fauna and the decline in recreation areas.

In this sense, the decision of the Economic Committee will certainly not only employ local politics, but also interest the general public and environmental associations. The coming months could be decisive for how the wind power expansion in Schleswig-Holstein and especially in Dithmarschen will continue.