Rhine water flooding plans for mining sites challenged by NABU

The environmental organization NABU has expressed concerns regarding plans to flood the Hambach and Garzweiler open-cast mining sites using water from the Rhine. The organization argues that climate change impacts, specifically extreme low water levels, may make the project unfeasible.

Klaus Markgraf-Maué of the NABU Rhine office stated that extracting water during periods of low flow could worsen ecological crises and create bottlenecks for river shipping. Additionally, declining glacier runoff from the Alps is expected to reduce the summer water stability of the Rhine, a trend that cannot be offset by higher water extraction at other times.

NABU also highlighted risks regarding water quality, noting that lower water volumes increase the concentration of pollutants. The organization is calling for climate change consequences to be integrated into planning and permits, suggesting that the long-term nature of the program requires regular reviews of environmental assessments.