Petition launched to stop new oil and gas drilling in the Baltic Sea
3 October 2025 - Coalition Clean Baltic, together with its Member Organization
BUND - Friends of the Earth Germany and the citizens’ initiative “Lebensraum Vorpommern”, have launched a
petition to stop new oil and gas drilling projects in the Baltic Sea.
The petition comes in response to
plans to exploit a deposit just 6 km offshore Świnoujście, Poland, in the transboundary waters of the Oder Estuary and Pomeranian Bay. The planned site lies at the heart of
NATURA 2000 protected areas, which are vital for biodiversity, climate action, and local communities.
Oil and gas extraction in the Baltic Sea poses severe threats to its fragile ecosystems. Industrial activities such as drilling, pipeline construction, and ship traffic risk polluting the water with chemicals, oil leaks, and toxic waste. Underwater noise from pile driving and increased traffic would further degrade marine habitats. These pressures add to the already critical challenges faced by the Baltic Sea, including biodiversity loss, eutrophication, and the accelerating impacts of climate change.
The consequences extend far beyond nature. Local communities rely on a clean and healthy Baltic for tourism, fishing, and quality of life. Expanding fossil fuel infrastructure would also undermine Europe’s climate commitments and lock in carbon emissions for decades to come.
The
petition calls on the Ministry of Climate and Environment of Poland, the Helsinki Commission (HELCOM), the European Commission, and the Secretariat of the Espoo Convention to:
- Stop the plans for oil and gas extraction in the Oder Estuary and the Pomeranian Bay;
- Ban any new oil and gas extraction across the Baltic Sea;
- Ensure strong cross-border cooperation and communication amongst all involved states.
The petition is open through the WeMove Europe´s platform and can be signed here.
