As time runs thin, discussion over port expansion intensifies

By Alena Harcinikova, Kyran Berlin

Some people like it, others say it’s not the same old Aarhus. “This is not New York,” says one of the Joint Council members, Michael Poulsen. We are talking about the expansion of the harbour and the urban development known as Aarhus Ø, around which there is a stormy discussion. However, this discussion has an expiration date; on the 4^th of March the consultation period is over and construction begins.

The Beskyt Aarhusbugten Nu (Save Aarhus Bay) movement has already organized several meetings with the goal of raising awareness to the environmental impacts of the proposed port expansion. The last one took place on the 4^th of February and the next one follows on the 22^nd of February.

BAN’s intention is to raise awareness with both politicians and Aarhus residents that the project will effectively double Denmark’s CO2 emissions and add harmful waste products to the ocean, impacting local ecosystems.

“We’re not saying ‘no harbor,’ we want a dialogue,” said Tomas Bekker, an Aarhus economist and member of the movement. “We are now holding meetings, writing letters, but we are also ready to demonstrate,” he adds.

However, many Aarhus residents have concerns about the harbor development beyond its ecological impact. For example, the bishop of Aarhus, Henrik Wigh-Poulsen, and the director of the Old Town, Thomas Bloch Ravn, have criticized the changes. They don’t like how close to the historic center the buildings are and they also fear that the new high-rise will be one and a half times as tall as the cathedral, detracting from Aarhus’ cultural landmarks.

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