The controversial gas drilling project in the North Sea near Borkum has moved a step closer to reality.

The Lower Saxony State Office for Mining, Energy, and Geology (LBEG) has granted a temporary 18-year permit to the Dutch energy company One-Dyas for drilling operations that extend into German territory.

This decision follows approval from the Lower Saxony Ministry of Economic Affairs.

However, the project still faces hurdles, including the need for an international agreement with the Netherlands and potential legal challenges from environmental groups like the German Environmental Aid (DUH).

Critics, including environmentalists and local residents, argue that the project threatens the UNESCO World Heritage Wadden Sea and contradicts climate goals.

The German Federal Ministry for the Environment has expressed concerns about the environmental impact, while climate activists, including Fridays for Future, have protested against the drilling, warning it could undermine Germany's credibility as a climate leader.