Europe's defense buildup clashes with nature conservation

Europe's renewed focus on defense, spurred by Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, is highlighting a growing tension between military readiness and environmental protection. The reactivation of a disused railway line between Antwerp, Belgium, and Mönchengladbach, Germany, illustrates this conflict.

Part of this railway, now within the De Meinweg National Park in the Netherlands, is maintained by 500 grazing sheep to keep the landscape open for protected adders and human enjoyment. However, with the heightened security situation, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany are discussing reopening the line for potential NATO troop transport, facing opposition from conservationists.

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Environmental laws formulated in a different era and other old legislation must not dogmatically stand in the way of doing what is necessary to create security.

This "adder railway" is not an isolated case. Sweden's Climate and Environment Minister Romina Pourmokhtari has acknowledged that environmental laws, formulated in a different era, should not dogmatically impede necessary security measures. She has pledged to review permitting processes, recognizing that while environmental regulations cannot always stand in the way of security, many conflicts can be resolved.

Indeed, nature restoration and military defense capabilities can sometimes align. Finland, for instance, utilizes wetlands and wild forests as an eastern defense barrier. The article suggests exploring more such nature-based defense solutions in Sweden. Furthermore, the Swedish government's recent decisions on offshore wind farms demonstrate a balancing act. While 13 planned parks were halted due to potential interference with defense sensors, two were approved, and 11 were rejected for posing an unacceptable risk to defense capabilities.

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In many cases, the conflicts of interest can be resolved.