Gas extraction causes subsidence in the Waddenzee. Periodic monitoring by Buro Landwijzer showed that this subsidence would have little or no impact on nature around Ameland. The five researchers argued this week in a letter to the Environmental Impact Assessment Committee that they do not agree with this. Martijn van der Pol, researcher at James Cook University (Australia): ‘There are clear indications of ecological effects of gas extraction, and a lot of those indications have been published in scientific journals.’ For example, flooding risks to nests of salt marsh birds have increased and benthic animals such as mudflats and cockles are decreasing more near Ameland compared to the rest of the Waddenzee.
The scientists' letter was cited in the Tweede Kamer-debate held on 1 October. Eelke Jongejans, ecologist at Radboud University, said: ‘We hope this letter will lead to a more balanced view on the current knowledge and on the limitations of subsidence research. We see in our results that gas extraction has major consequences and we want politicians to be aware of this so that a well-founded decision can be made.'