Enstedsværket in Aabenraa, Denmark
Description:
Enstedværket in Aabenraa, Denmark is a power plant fired up with oil and coal. In 2013 Dong Energy decided to shut down the power plant and sell it to the municipality of Aabenraa [1][2]. Block 2 in the power plant has already been demolished, and Block 3 with its 134.000 square meters is expected to be finished in 2020 [3]. Next to the power plant there is a coal- and oil harbor, in which it is possible to receive fully loaded coal carriers. Dong Energy sold the coal harbor to Vattenfall in 2014 [4]. Enstedværket has the biggest coal- and oil harbor in Northern Europe and it is still actively being used by Vattenfall. The coal is transported in special bulk frames, which can accommodate 10,000 tones of coal. Vattenfall is still delivering coal to three power plants in Denmark [5]. In 2016 and 2017 a small group of environmental activists from KlimaKollektivet (the Climate Collective) broke into the closed power plant at Enstedværket as an act of civil disobedience and put up banners that said ‘Nul Kul’ (No Coal) and ‘System Change’ [6] [7]. Each year in April, Vattenfall has its shareholders meeting and in the days up to the meeting, the activists have been trying to create awareness of the company’s lacking transition to sustainable energy, as they have otherwise stated they would be doing [8] [9]. For more than 30 hours, the activists occupied the bulk frames that are used to transit coal, by chaining themselves to the conveyor belts so that the ship cannot be loaded [7]. While occupying the power plant, they made a short film about how to block a coal harbor, while filming themselves entering and describing their actions in order to inspire others to do the same [10]. The Climate Collective also made a video, where they are pretending to work for Vattenfall presenting their true annual report at a yearly meeting. Speaking on behalf of Vattenfall they change their strategies and sell all their power plants while apologising for harming the environment, creating climate change, and encourage everyone to partake in the fight for climate justice [11]. |
Basic Data
| Name of conflict: | Enstedsværket in Aabenraa, Denmark |
| Country: | Denmark |
| State or province: | Region Syddanmark |
| Location of conflict: | Aabenraa |
| Accuracy of location | LOW (Country level) |
Source of Conflict
| Type of conflict. 1st level: | Fossil Fuels and Climate Justice/Energy |
| Type of conflict. 2nd level: | Coal extraction and processing Thermal power plants |
| Specific commodities: | Coal |
Project Details and Actors
| Project details | |
| Project area: | 29 |
| Type of population | Semi-urban |
| Start of the conflict: | 26/06/2016 |
| Company names or state enterprises: | NUON from Netherlands Dong Energy from Denmark - Owner of the plant until 2013 |
| Environmental justice organizations (and other supporters) and their websites, if available: | KlimaKollektivet (Climate Collective): https://klimakollektivet.wordpress.com |
Conflict & Mobilization
| Intensity | LOW (some local organising) |
| Reaction stage | Mobilization for reparations once impacts have been felt |
| Groups mobilizing: | Local ejos Neighbours/citizens/communities |
| Forms of mobilization: | Blockades Creation of alternative reports/knowledge Development of a network/collective action Development of alternative proposals Media based activism/alternative media Occupation of buildings/public spaces |
Impacts
| Environmental Impacts | Visible: Air pollution Potential: Global warming |
| Health Impacts | Visible: Other Health impacts |
Outcome
| Project Status | In operation |
| Conflict outcome / response: | Strengthening of participation Awareness of the hypocrisy of the company Vattenfall in their lacking actions |
| Proposal and development of alternatives: | The Climate Collective believes that climate change and the greater climate crisis are just symptoms of a larger problem: The climate crisis is just one of the injustices and inequalities brought about by capitalism. Hence, the Climate Collective sees the struggle against climate change as part of a larger struggle against capitalism. They want system change, not climate chang: keep the coal in the hole (and every other fossil fuel). |
| Do you consider this an environmental justice success? Was environmental justice served?: | Not Sure |
| Briefly explain: | The coal harbor has not been shut down, however, the Climate Collective have managed to create a lot of attention on what is going on and put a lot of pressure on Vattenfall. |
Sources & Materials
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| Related media links to videos, campaigns, social network |
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Meta information
| Contributor: | Daria Rivin, intern at the EJ Atlas: [email protected] |
| Last update | 18/08/2019 |
| Conflict ID: | 3052 |
Images |
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Occupation of the coal harbor
Photo by the Climate Collective
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System change not climate change
Activists from the Climate Collective putting up banners on the coal harbor at Enstedværket: system change and nul kul (no coal). Foto by Lars Salomonsen
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Activists occupying the conveyor belts. Photo: Climate Collective
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The coal harbor.
The coal harbor. Photo by the Climate Collective
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'Shut down that coal harbor', 'Vattenfall sells blood coal from Colombia'. Photo: Climate Collective
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