"Government inaction" has worsened housing and climate crises, says think tank
A vast collection of mounting national crises currently affecting the Netherlands is the result of "government inaction," the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (PBL) said on Tuesday. Just a few weeks from the general election, the country is still grappling with a severe housing shortage, issues related to climate change, and a definitive policy to mitigate nitrogen emissions, warned the PBL, the independent government research institute that advises on environmental, spatial, and sustainability policy.
“Government is currently stuck,” said PBL director Marko Hekkert. “Look each other in the eyes at the start of a Cabinet period and dare to take these steps. If you don’t dare, at least be honest. Then it’s clear.” Hekkert called the government “a toothless tiger” and stressed that delays make future solutions more costly.
Between 1990 and 2023, greenhouse gas emissions fell nearly 35 percent, and nitrogen, ammonia, and fine particulate matter dropped 76 percent, 66 percent, and 76 percent, respectively. Most gains occurred before 2010, and the past 15 years have seen minimal improvement, particularly in nitrogen deposition on vulnerable nature.
The PBL identified key areas for action, including agriculture. Options include new techniques to reduce nitrogen from livestock, limiting herds near sensitive areas, or reducing nationwide livestock.
The warnings echo recent findings from the Court of Audit that the government’s 2.25 billion euros Housing Construction Incentive likely failed to speed construction or increase total homes, though it did raise the share of affordable housing.
Furthermore, recent polls show that Dutch voters are largely focused on party leadership and broader political preferences rather than immediate crises or unrest. The far-right PVV remains the largest party in Ipsos I&O’s latest survey, which suggests they could take 31 of the 150 seats up for grabs in the Tweede Kamer election later in October.
The election not only determines the composition of the Tweede Kamer, the lower house of Parliament, but will ultimately determine the parties which will work together to form a coalition government. The Ipsos I&O poll showed D66 gaining support, rising from 13 in the previous poll, to 15 seats this week. That would mark a substantial rise in power, as the party currently has nine parliamentarians in the Tweede Kamer.
The boost in support for D66 is not due to recent far-right rioting in The Hague. Rather, supporters said they were appreciative of party leader Rob Jetten’s willingness to work across the political spectrum.
