Germany is taking a pioneering step in addressing the environmental threat posed by World War-era munitions lying at the bottom of the Baltic Sea.

Federal Environment Minister Steffi Lemke has highlighted the potential for Germany to become a global leader in the field of underwater munitions recovery.

The initiative, which is currently in its testing phase, involves the development of specialized technology to safely retrieve and dispose of these hazardous materials.

With over 1.6 million tons of munitions from both World Wars still submerged in the North and Baltic Seas, the project aims to begin large-scale recovery operations by 2026. The German government has allocated 100 million euros to support this groundbreaking effort, which could set a precedent for similar environmental clean-up projects worldwide.