The Federal Administrative Court (Bundesverwaltungsgericht, BVerwG) dismissed an environmental organization’s challenge to the permit for the construction and operation of the Stade onshore LNG terminal, including two storage tanks. The permit, issued on November 1, 2023, authorizes LNG-based operations until December 31, 2043.

The claimant argued, inter alia, that there was no sufficient energy-policy need for continued LNG operation until 2043 and that the duration of the permit was incompatible with Germany’s constitutional climate-protection obligation and the Federal Climate Protection Act (Bundes-Klimaschutzgesetz). It also challenged the terminal’s ability to be converted to liquefied ammonia, its safety, and compliance with nature-conservation law.

The BVerwG rejected the claim in its entirety. It held that the permitting authority could not impose an earlier end date than December 31, 2043, the date specified in the LNG Acceleration Act (LNG-Beschleunigungsgesetz). The constitutional obligation to protect the climate and the Federal Climate Protection Act did not require a shorter operating period. The court further held that the question of whether there would be sufficient demand for LNG by the end of the authorization period was irrelevant to the legality of the permit. The operator had sufficiently demonstrated that the facility could subsequently be converted for liquefied ammonia (“Green Gas Ready”) operation. The court also found no decisive safety or nature-conservation concerns.

Environmental permit for Stade LNG terminal (Hanseatic Energy Hub)

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Environmental permit for Stade LNG terminal (Hanseatic Energy Hub) - decision

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Area of the economy in which actors engage in identical or related activities.

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The management and allocation of funds, assets and investments to meet various objectives

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Zoning and spatial planning are both methods for guiding the distribution of people and activities in a space, and are regulatory restriction.

Either money or something of monetary value is transferred between two or more organisations, people or countries.

Actions or measures to adapt freshwater systems to climate change.

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The release of heat-trapping gases, primarily from human activities such as burning fossil fuels, agriculture and industry.

A long-lived, colourless gas, chiefly emitted from fossil fuel combustion, deforestation and cement production.

A potent, short-lived greehouse gas, largely released from livestock, fossil fuel extraction and waste management.

Actions to reduce emissions in energy generation and supply.

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Extreme weather refers to events where a weather variable exceeds (or falls below) a threshold. Meaning it is significantly different from the average or usual weather pattern.

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Social inclusion is the process of improving the terms on which individuals and groups take part in society—improving the ability, opportunity, and dignity of those disadvantaged on the basis of their identity.

Oil is a combustible liquid fossil fuel composed mainly of hydrocarbons, occurring as crude oil and refined into petroleum products such as petrol, diesel and kerosene.

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Any substance with chemical properties that can cause physical harm to people or damage the environment, including ammonia, carbon monoxide, phosphine, chlorine, arsenic, cadmium, mercury, pesticides, dioxins, microplastics, benzene, asbestos, aflatoxins, fluoride, methanol, and toxins from marine sources.

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Environmental permit for Stade LNG terminal (Hanseatic Energy Hub) - decision

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Just transition

Renewable energy

Fossil fuel

Greenhouse gas

Economic sector

Adaptation/resilience

Finance