While the government is desperate for foreign investment, locals are concerned about the impact of mega-projects on land, water and air.
Just beyond the gardens and traditional houses of a village in eastern Hungary, a Chinese-owned mega-project is beginning to dominate the landscape.
Bulldozers and excavators are already preparing the land for construction of the approximately 550-acre electric vehicle (EV) battery plant.
The €7.3 billion plant will be one of the largest foreign investments in Hungary’s history. The government hopes the central European country will become a global hub. lithium ion At a time when governments are increasingly trying to limit greenhouse gas emissions by switching to battery manufacturing. Electric car.
But residents, environmental activists and opposition politicians say the sprawling factory built by China-based Hyundai Amperex Technology (CATL) will exacerbate existing environmental problems and drain the nation’s precious water supply. I fear that it will hurt and further increase its influence on the economy. China.
Local residents worry that this will not lead to progress
“When you walk in front of an area under construction, you intuitively feel sick. Mr. (47) says. residents oppose the project.
“This is progress, this is the future? Pour concrete On nature when you know how polluted the factory is? ‘ she said.
Kosma, who lives outside Hungary’s second-largest city, Debrecen, said the announcement blinded them. plant It will be built on valuable agricultural land.
they have a lot of water Diversion to factories for cooling equipment could threaten water supplies and allow chemicals from the factory to seep into the factory. soil And water damages local natural resources.
Will factories exacerbate existing problems?
This region, known as the Greater Hungarian Plain, is under threat from: Desertificationthe process of retreating vegetation due to high temperatures and low rainfall.
Drought due to climate change and record heat wave Extensive agricultural water use and groundwater depletion are exacerbated in the region, resulting in devastating crop yields.
Hungary last year hottest summer on recordand about 2.5 million acres, equivalent to 20% of the country’s agricultural land, dried up.
Experts say much of the area will soon become unsuitable for agriculture unless a comprehensive water retention plan is put in place.
But despite these environmental struggles, the Hungarian government wants to be a leader in environmental affairs. EV battery Production – but requires investment.
And perhaps a buyer will also emerge: shipping accounts for almost a quarter of Europe’s greenhouse gas emissions, with more than 70% of these emissions caused by road transport. EVs will play a pivotal role in helping the EU reach its goal of net zero emissions by 2050.
Hungary plans to expand EV battery factory
CATL’s 100GWh battery plant in Debrecen is expected to create about 9,000 jobs, making it the largest of all EV batteries. plant This is part of the government’s strategy to serve foreign automakers based in Hungary, such as German automakers Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz, in their transition to battery-powered vehicles.
Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Sijart said earlier this month in Beijing that the presence of these German automakers had “stimulated” the recent flurry of Chinese investment in EV battery factories, adding that “the Chinese suppliers of these German companies are continuation, Hungary As a meeting place for East-West investment. ”
Automotive industry expert Gabor Varkony agrees that efforts to attract battery makers make sense for the Hungarian economy, especially given that more than 20% of Hungary’s exports come from the automotive industry. do.
“It will be very beneficial for Hungary in particular for these investments to be made here. German technology,” Varkony said. “That way, in the medium term, we can tie the two together, and without one, neither will work well. In that sense, this is an absolute national interest.”
What is the environmental impact?
But despite the intention to cut, WWF-Hungary environmental policy expert Darma Dedak said: greenhouse gas emissions Environmental impact studies on the long-term effects of car electrification on air, soil and water in Hungary are lacking.
Details have only been released for the first phase of the multi-stage construction of the CATL plant, she said. footprint Even at full operation, the environmental impact remains unknown, undermining trust between the affected population and the government.
“It is concerning that the phase one plant approval process does not indicate what kind of equipment will be installed. water consumption Emissions are expected once the entire factory is built,” she said. “So, will Hungary’s resources be sufficient for these ambitious plans?”
Water consumption in the industrial park where the factory is located is expected to be more than 40,000 cubic meters (10.5 million gallons) per day, double the drinking water consumption of Debrecen, an area in the midst of a major disaster. is a heavy burden onhistoric water crisissaid Bran.
“In the long term, the question and the problem is how to supply water to such a water-scarce city,” she says.
According to CATL, 70% of water consumption The plan, which was not present in the plant’s first stage environmental impact study, will be fed from gray water (clarified domestic wastewater). The Hungarian Ministry of Economic Development did not respond to a request for comment.
Idyllic Community Impact
Some residents of the Debrecen suburb are worried about the impact of the large plant. traffic jam And the noise that ruins the idyllic community in which they came to raise their children. But most of the time they are afraid of irreparably affecting their beloved local nature.
“They took the land, destroyed the soil, air, water,” said Eniko Pastor, 65, a local activist. She plans to leave the area once the power plant is completed on schedule.
“I don’t have enough” money It can repair what we mess up. We have to make sure we leave behind what we have,” she said. “We’ve done so much damage already. I don’t understand why we need more, more, more.”