Weakening nitrogen measures disastrous for nature: Greenpeace

Greenpeace is strongly against adjusting the measures that the Cabinet wants to introduce to reduce nitrogen emissions from agriculture. "Changing the current government policy is just as unacceptable as dumping asbestos on the highway. Any attempt to slow down the pace of the measures and postpone it to 2035 is not only disastrous for our vulnerable nature, but also keeps the Netherlands locked up for longer," said the environmental organization.

Greenpeace is responding to the conversation that Prime Minister Mark Rutte, nitrogen minister Christianne van der Wal, mediator Johan Remkes and a few others had with agricultural representatives on Friday.

The more radical farmers' organizations Farmers Defense Force and Agractie were not present and criticized the meeting afterwards. They work together with the agricultural and horticultural organization LTO Nederland, which did speak with Remkes and the Cabinet. "LTO has been taken hostage by a group of radical farmers' organizations, whose supporters have been holding the Netherlands in the grips with violence and intimidation for weeks," Greenpeace said.

Afterwards, Remkes said that there is a serious crisis of confidence. He also talked about a second conversation. According to Greenpeace, Remkes gives the impression that the nitrogen policy is being renegotiated. Reducing emissions is "no longer negotiable" and it is "time for action, not for further delay," said the environmental group.