Tesla can clear a piece of forest for a factory in Brandenburg

The environmental activists have failed with their lawsuit against the clearing work of Tesla. The construction of the Gigafactory can now continue. Brandenburg's politicians are relieved - but the protests continue.

The US electric car manufacturer Tesla can continue with the preparations for the construction of its first European factory in Grünheide near Berlin. According to a court order, the clearing of trees from the table has been temporarily stopped. The Higher Administrative Court of Berlin-Brandenburg dismissed the urgent requests of two environmental associations against the early admission of the clearing on Thursday evening in the second instance (OVG 11 S 8.20). This gives Tesla the green light to continue cutting down trees on part of the site before the growing season begins - initially around 90 hectares. This order can not be contested.

Activists occupy trees
However, the environmentalists do not want to accept the decision and continue to protest against the grubbing-up. The police spoke of two women in the forest in Grünheide near Berlin on Friday morning. "We are now getting police rescuers to help," said a spokeswoman. A spokesman for the environmental group "Tree Pirate: Inside" had previously said that "two people had been in the forest" since the morning hours. The environmentalists want to occupy trees indefinitely and stay in the forest. The police want to get the environmentalists quickly from the trees. Because three bombs from World War II were to be blasted there on Friday. The defusing planned for 2 p.m. has since been postponed.

"Free driving for cars of the future instead of principled riding around pine plantations"
Brandenburg's Minister of Economics Jörg Steinbach (SPD) welcomed the court ruling in the "Bild" newspaper: "We take great note of the judgment." Deputy SPD chairwoman Klara Geywitz wrote on Twitter: “Good news for Tesla and Brandenburg. Clear the way for cars of the future instead of riding principles around pine plantations. ”The deputy general manager of the Federation of German Industries (BDI), Holger Lösch, said the judgment was" an important signal for Germany as an investment location as a whole ". For the industry in East Germany, the car factory is a "huge opportunity" that, together with the settlements of other companies, production networks are growing and the region is prospering.

The Green League was disappointed. Attorney Dirk Teßmer said: "We were optimistic that it would be different."

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To the course dates
The Brandenburg State Environment Agency had approved the early start of tree felling, but has not received full approval for the construction of the factory. The environmental association Green League Brandenburg and the association for landscape care and species protection in Bavaria wanted to stop the clearing on the area. Both had warned that accomplished facts are being created. The administrative court in Frankfurt (Oder), however, rejected the urgent requests from both associations last week. The Green League filed a complaint. The OVG then prohibited further clearing for the time being.

Tesla can now continue working
The OVG stated in its justification for further tree felling that the legal prerequisites for the early start of construction of the plant had been rightly affirmed. The competent authority did not have to wait until March for the deadline for public participation objections, because it had the knowledge necessary to assess whether the project was likely to be approved.

"There will be further attempts to stop Tesla"
After the verdict, the president of the German Institute for Economic Research, Marcel Fratzscher, prophesied: “There will continue to be attempts to stop Tesla. In this country there is a mentality of protecting the acquis that speaks out against large-scale projects and against changes. The problems are much deeper. This conflict of interest is now being fought on Tesla's back. This can cause lasting damage to Germany as a location, "said Fratzscher to the RedaktionsNetzwerk Deutschland (RND).

There is "a great deal of legal uncertainty for companies," said Fratzscher. "The German regulations are so comprehensive, complex and often ambiguous that investors often do not know what applies to them." The problem for investors is the lack of planning, says Fratzscher: "If they do not know whether the new factory is in can stand for a year and a half, as Tesla is now planning, or whether it takes five years, then there are high risks for companies, which often lead to German companies also preferring to invest abroad. "

Tesla plans to build around 500,000 electric vehicles a year in Grünheide near Berlin next year. Because of the start of the growing season, the clearing on the site should be completed by the end of February - this is now also possible. The area on which the forest stands is designated as an industrial area.