Johan Remkes’ nitrogen advice should have brought peace, but due to a difference in interpretation, it turns out to be a source of contention in the coalition. Remkes advised sticking to the government’s goal of halving nitrogen emissions by 2030. At the same time, he stated that between 2025 and 2028 it should be possible ‘under certain conditions’ to ‘give more space to specific areas, if there are compelling reasons to do so’. Parties and ministers now explain Remkes’ advice in different ways.
Minister Adema (ChristenUnie), who took office last month, interprets Remkes’ words as a ‘nuancing’ of the nitrogen target. “It should be clear: we are on the right track, but we haven’t made it yet. Then Remkes says that you should not be dogmatic – that it may also be 2032, ’33 or ’34’, he said during a farmers’ meeting in Drachten, where Fidelity was present.
VVD MP Thom van Campen, who has the nitrogen problem in his portfolio, sees it differently. He called the minister’s words to ANP news agency ‘free beer’; a pleasant-sounding but unrealistic message. “We can’t afford that luxury.” Adema should take back his words, says Van Campen.
His D66 colleague Tjeerd de Groot agrees with him. He also believes that the agriculture minister creates false expectations. ‘That’s actually very cruel, because the farmers think it’ll go away. But it won’t run smoothly, what awaits her will be very drastic.’
According to Pieter Grinwis of the ChristenUnie, a party member of Adema, there is ‘no reason at all for political excitement’. Adema is said to have said ‘clearly and soberly’ what the cabinet stands for and simply spoke in line with Remkes’ advice.
Member of Parliament Derk Boswijk, who speaks on behalf of the CDA faction about nitrogen policy, has not yet responded to Adema’s statements. Last summer CDA party leader Wopke Hoekstra, also Minister of Foreign Affairs, also aroused great resentment within the coalition because of the reduction target for 2030 in an interview with the AD ‘not holy’.
The question is how high VVD and D66 now want to raise this issue. According to D66 member De Groot, the minister will have ‘a major problem’ if he does not retract his statements. Adema insisted on Tuesday afternoon that his statements were really in line with the nitrogen advice and government policy.
Those are moments when we look together where we stand and whether it is necessary to take more time in some areas. Also see: https://t.co/4dp9I0C4Fc. 2/2
— Piet Adema (@ministerlnv) Nov 2, 2022
Remkes’ advice has also led to different interpretations outside The Hague. Farmers’ organization Agractie thinks it’s an ‘absurd’ idea that the agriculture minister should take back his words. “In the few weeks that he has been a minister, Adema has already created more connections than his two predecessors,” said foreman Bart Kemp to the ANP. According to Kemp, he stays within the boundaries of Remkes’ advice.
Nature organizations react suspiciously to Adema. ‘The last thing that is needed is further delay, as a result of which nature deteriorates and the nitrogen task only increases’, says a joint statement by, among others, Natuur & Milieu, Natuurmonumenten and Vogelbescherming Nederland.