Up to 2030, a 50 percent reduction in nitrogen emissions must be achieved in our country. Three quarters of the vulnerable Natura 2000 areas must also be ‘at a healthy level’ by that year, according to the minister. It wants to combine nitrogen measures in a so-called ‘area-oriented approach’ with other measures to improve nature, the soil and water quality and to achieve the climate target.
“By July 2023 at the latest, it will be clear in each area what the goal is and how it will be achieved, after which money will be made available. All sectors – industry, agriculture, traffic, maritime and aviation – contribute and it is clear that this task requires a great deal of effort from the agricultural sector,” says Van der Wal.
The government has already made 25 billion euros available for this on top of existing resources (6 billion euros). Because areas differ, the approach also differs per area. The central government and provinces now first set goals for each area that must be ‘inevitably achieved’. “Together, those goals add up to the national goal.”
Farmers
Van der Wal previously indicated that she will tempt farmers who want to stop voluntarily with a higher amount. This is done by, among other things, betting on the ‘early bird’ principle: the sooner you register for a stopping scheme, the more favorable the (financial) conditions. The letter also states that the minister wants to focus on the accelerated purchase of peak loaders and land.
For that matter, the ball for the implementation of the plans will largely rest with the provinces. Van der Wal wants in the short term ‘an inventory of concrete projects and proposals that are already in place’ for all provinces to achieve targets for nature, nitrogen, water and climate. “If these plans are concrete enough, measures can be started in 2022 and 2023 and financing will be arranged,” said the minister.
Court decisions
De Telegraaf already reported on Friday that there are concerns within the cabinet about the sustainability of the current nitrogen policy. Among other things, an exemption for construction has been arranged when permits are granted, but this is being challenged by the environmental club MOB – which the government had already corrected through the courts – to the Council of State. Ministry sources fear that if the exemption is broken, it could have major consequences for all kinds of projects.
Due to various court decisions, both applicants and grantors (provinces, central government) of a nature permit have the necessary uncertainty about the sustainability of these permits. “The government recognizes that. The cause is that in the Netherlands we have gone too far and for too long over the limit of what nature can handle,” says Van der Wal. “Nature must first be restored to make the granting of consent more robust.”
In order to offer more certainty, Minister Van der Wal is now working on ‘tightening the rules’, such as the latent scope in permits, the rules regarding internal and external balancing, grazing and fertilization and the rules regarding the use of the so-called Rav- factors in barn innovations (Ammonia Livestock Farming Regulations). “A concrete interpretation of these tightening up will follow before the summer.”