Pig farmer Jos Naalden from Bergen op Zoom is not concerned about the judge’s ruling that the State must do more to protect vulnerable nature. According to Naalden, the agricultural sector has already made enough concessions in recent years to reduce nitrogen emissions. The pig farmer believes that it is now up to other sectors and that legislation should be changed to create achievable goals. “The solution no longer lies with agriculture.”
On Wednesday, the judge decided that the State must do more to combat the decline of nature. The judge forces the State to ensure that by 2030 no more nitrogen is deposited in half of the vulnerable nature reserves than nature can handle.
READ ALSO: Judge agrees with Greenpeace: State must do more for vulnerable nature
If this is not the case before then, the State must pay a penalty of 10 million euros. It must also be nature that is worst off
“This ruling is yet another setback in the government’s faltering nitrogen policy,” says Jos Naalden. “It is confirmation that the current policy cannot be continued in this way.
The pig farmer’s company is close to the Brabantse Wal nature reserve, which is a vulnerable area. “At the moment, 99 percent of the area is overloaded. The goal is that fifty percent of the area is overloaded by 2023,” Jos explains.
According to him, agriculture has already made enough sacrifices in recent years to reduce nitrogen emissions. “Belgium’s impact in this area is very large. Almost sixty percent of the reduction comes from Belgium. The solution does not lie with us.”
“Other sectors also need to step up.”
The pig farmer states that other sectors have their turn. “Defense keeps asking if they can expand, but that also has an impact on the area around the Brabantse Wal.”
Jos also believes that better legislation should be introduced to tackle the problem. “The judge assesses the legislation that the government itself makes. It is up to the government to adapt the legislation to achievable goals.”
Despite the judge’s ruling, the farmer is not concerned about the future of his company. “The company has been in the hands of our family for one hundred and fifty years. If I have to believe my father and grandfather, there have always been challenges. All new laws create new challenges, but we are taking them on with full courage.”
WE WROTE THIS PREVIOUSLY ABOUT THE JUDGE’S RULING:
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