Renewed support for Einstein Telescope in parliament North Rhine-Westphalia
The government of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia should make a case to the German federal government for the arrival of Einstein Telescope to the border region of the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany. This is stated in a motion by four parties in North Rhine-Westphalia’s parliament.
The European Einstein Telescope will be a world-class scientific observatory for gravitational waves from the distant universe. The underground facility is to be ten times more sensitive than its predecessors and offers a unique opportunity for science and economy in the host countries. In the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany, researchers, companies and governments are therefore preparing a so-called bid to bring Einstein Telescope to the Euregio Meuse-Rhine (EMR), the border region of the three countries.
The German state of North Rhine-Westphalia is already in favour of bringing Einstein Telescope to EMR and RWTH Aachen, among others, is already actively working on its preparation. The German federal government has not yet come out in favour of the border region as a location for Einstein Telescope. This should change, think the four parties FDP, CDU, SPD and the Greens in the parliament of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia.
In a motion, the four parties call on the German state government to stress the importance of Einstein Telescope to the federal ministry of education and science. For example, the ministry should put Einstein Telescope on the national roadmap for research institutes. It should also consult with neighbouring governments on funding for the project. The Dutch government already reserved 870 million euros if the border region is chosen as the location for the project.
“Global appeal”
“The Einstein Telescope will be a project of cutting-edge research with global reach,” the parliamentary motion states. “It will provide unique astrophysical information and insights into fundamental physics, from black holes to neutron stars.”
In a press release, spokesman Dr Werner Pfeil of the FDP party in North Rhine-Westphalia stated that the Einstein Telescope is also an excellent opportunity for the economy in the three host countries. “This will provide great direct and indirect employment in the three countries through innovation and technology transfer.”
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