NIVA Denmark’s head of research, Jesper H. Andersen, explained in an interview with Vid&Sans how the port expansion projects Lynetteholmen and Aarhus Outer Port will affect the biodiversity in and around the construction projects.

On the surface, the two projects look similar, but Jesper H. Andersen explains that Lynetteholmen will greatly affect the oxygen content of the Baltic Sea, by blocking the influx of fresh, oxygen-rich water, which is critical for biodiversity in the Baltic Sea, where the expansion of Aarhus Outer Port will primarily affect habitat areas south of Djursland. In addition, Jesper H. Andersen points out the problems with excavation or “patching” of the seabed areas around the harbors that contain environmentally harmful substances and metals. At the end of the interview, Jesper H. Andersen explains some of the remediation actions that should be taken prior to the constructions, to minimize the negative impacts to the greatest extent possible. If you are interested in reading the full article in danish, you can follow the link here.

For further information, please contact head of research Jesper H. Andersen at på jha@niva-dk.dk.