Greenhouse gas emissions fall over three percent in the second quarter

CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions in the Netherlands fell by more than 3 percent in the second quarter of this year, compared with the same period last year. The largest drop was in in the industrial sector, where emissions fell by 8 percent, according to Statistics Netherlands. In contrast, emissions rose in the first three months of 2025, mainly due to the electricity sector, which burned more coal to generate power because of low wind conditions.

The Netherlands has legally committed to reducing emissions by at least 55 percent by 2030 compared with 1990 levels. The Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (PBL), which regularly recalculates emissions figures, had seen this climate target within reach under the last Rutte cabinet. However, the current cabinet’s policy adjustments have slowed progress, making the 2030 goal “very unlikely” again.

Next Tuesday, the PBL will publish the latest Climate and Energy Outlook (KEV), which will include new measures announced earlier this year by Climate Minister Sophie Hermans. These measures include slightly reducing road taxes for electric cars and allocating 500 million euros to compensate energy-intensive industries for high electricity costs for another three years.

Emissions in the electricity sector were still up 9 percent in the second quarter compared with a year earlier, though this increase was smaller than the 40 percent rise seen in the first quarter. The largest percentage decline was in the built environment, as an unusually warm April reduced the need for natural gas to heat homes and offices.