Nature, Environment and the Economy join hands in the development of the Eems region

Six nature and environmental organisations (NMOs), RWE Eemshaven, Nuon and Groningen Seaports (GSP) have entered into agreements that will result in sustainable economic development of the Eems region. Today the Commissioner of the Queen in Groningen, Max van den Berg, officially ratified the ‘E-Pact’: 'Here in Groningen we have shown that it's possible; a big leap in employment and economic activity can go hand in hand with retaining and reinforcing a healthy and sustainable living environment.'

The E-pact is the result of a process of dialogue with nature and environmental organisations started more than two years ago by Nuon, RWE Eemshaven and Groningen Seaports. The 6 nature and environmental organisations involved are The Groninger Landschap foundation, Natuur- en Milieufederatie Groningen, Vereniging tot behoud van Natuurmonumenten, State Forest Service, WAD foundation and the Waddenvereniging. Certain themes were identified in the context of the technology of power plants, energy transition and sustainability, expansion of navigation channels and ports, and ecological optimisation.

Productive basis for further collaboration

The many economic and ecological surveys forming part of this dialogue have created a productive basis for further collaboration and the end of a number of legal proceedings. This development was reinforced by the active involvement of the provincial government of Groningen resulting in an ideal triad of the business world, the authorities and nature and environmental organisations.

Avoiding costly legal proceedings in the future

This triad also makes it possible to discuss future developments in the field of technology, emissions, environmental quality and nature restoration in a wider framework and to involve all parties at an early stage, thus avoiding costly legal proceedings in the future as well.

Help eachother in energy transition and sustainability

The three parties will also be of great help to each other in the areas of energy transition and sustainability. Thus businesses, supported by nature and environmental organisations, will be able to continue with developing measures that lead to substantial reductions in CO2 emissions, and which contribute to sustainability in the region and the development of the regional knowledge economy.

Various contributions to natural development

Businesses have made a contribution to natural development in the region in various ways in recent years.

Thus 50 hectares of nature in the Emmapolder have been completely set aside as a reserve for migrating birds.
RWE and Nuon will moreover improve the ecological quality of the islands of Ameland and Schiermonnikoog in the next ten years in collaboration with Natuurmonumenten, the State Forest Service, etc.
A so-called eco strip has also been set up in the Oostlob (Eemshaven), creating a unique habitat for flora (including the fen orchid) and fauna (water shrew).
In addition, a wildlife sanctuary of no less than 5000 hectares has been created by buying out 11 shrimp fishers.
On top of this, a contribution has been made to the sustainable improvement of the local marine environment in the Dollard area with the management of 23 hectares of vegetated mud flats.

Eems-Dollard Estuary

E-pact parties have not only been working together on current and future developments: a dialogue has also started up in the Dutch-German dispute regarding the Eems-Dollard Estuary under the influence of the E-pact dialogue. The current E-pact parties will continue to work towards a long-term vision and continued ecological restoration of the Eems-Dollard Estuary.

The future

The E-pact process has therefore made it clear that cooperation between economic and ecological interests is possible and has also laid a sound basis for future collaboration in the future. Initiatives can be taken in areas such as energy transition, sustainability and further development of an energy (knowledge) economy in the region and these can be part of a wider agenda based on existing dialogue and cooperation, also for the other parties in the region.

Published: 04 March 2011