MP's, cities, sectors criticize gov't policy putting climate goals further out of reach

The Dutch government faced a flood of criticism after the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency’s (PBL) latest Climate and Energy Outlook, which called it “very unlikely” that the Netherlands would meet its climate targets. Parliamentarians, the four large cities, and various sector organizations demand more measures from Climate Minister Sophie Hermans (VVD).

The PBL said that the Netherlands had about a 5 percent chance of reducing emissions by 55 percent in 2030, compared to 1990. The target is drifting further away, instead of coming closer. The agency named the government’s plans to reverse several CO2-saving measures as one of the three main reasons for this.

“Bad news,” is how Wytske Postma of the coalition party NSC described the report. According to her, it means “that we have to come up with alternative policies and proposals to remove the bottlenecks in the implementation of major projects.

The Cabinet needs to “get to work,” said the coalition party VVD. “In the coming months, the Cabinet must also look at what additional alternative policies are still needed to catch up and thus ensure that the Netherlands becomes cleaner and more energy independent.”

Coalition party BBB is in less of a hurry. For MP Henk Vermeer, the PBL report is “a signal, a red light on the dashboard. It forces us to make a pit stop to evaluate and revise strategy, instead of recklessly continuing with policy that clearly falters in its implementation.” According to him, the current policy is too focused on “quick results, while structural change requires a longer breath.”

The opposition, on the other hand, is alarmed. “While the warming of our planet is accelerating, the government is dismantling climate policy,” said GroenLinks-PvdA MP Suzanne Kröger. The government “allows the interests of the fossil fuel industry, intensive livestock farming, and aviation to jeopardize the future of our planet.”

According to D66 MP Rob Jetten, the government “is not opting for green growth, but for gray shrinkage.” He accused the BBB of “burying its head in the sand.”

Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague, and Utrecht, urged the government to take measures to meet the climate goals. “It is worrying that we will not achieve the climate goals,” the four large cities said. “The logical conclusion is that more action must be taken urgently to achieve our own goals.”

The four large cities, united in the G4, jointly called on the government to “stick to the ambitious you have formulated yourself and take the necessary steps to secure our future.”

The Dutch Sustainable Energy Association (NVDE) called the PBL report disappointing. “This is a bit of a shock. We are getting closer to the 2030 deadline, and further away from the target,” said chairman Olof van der Graag. He pointed out that the PBL partly attributed not achieving the climate goals to the Schoof Cabinet softening, postponing, or scrapping various climate measures. “Politicians have wasted time and necessary measures have fallen by the wayside. We cannot afford that and it is also a shame because the sustainable energy sector can do more than is currently being asked for it.”

The technology sector wants to know how Hermans plans to “turn green shrinkage into green growth.” The Schoof Cabinet got off to a promising start with a Ministry of Climate and Green Growth and promises to maintain the climate objectives, said Techniek Nederland chairman Doekle Terpstra. “Good intentions, but there is no sign of an ambitious climate policy yet. And no sign of green growth either. On the contrary.”

FME, the business organization for the technological industry, is not surprised that the climate goals are disappearing out of sight. “We see two main causes,” said chairman Theo Henrar. “The switch to electrification is seriously hampered by a lack of infrastructure, grid congestion, and sky-high electricity prices compared to neighboring countries. The construction of the hydrogen network will take years, and the price of hydrogen is high.” According to Henrar, the Netherlands “underestimated the complexity and put itself in a bind.” The organization wants the government to invest in three things: making the industry more sustainable, hydrogen, and large-scale energy savings.