The province of Drenthe wants national measures to be taken quickly to combat the nitrogen crisis. These measures are necessary in all sectors, so for agriculture, industry, construction and traffic, according to the province. If they don’t come, it will be a difficult story, thinks Deputy Jumelet. “The task is not only too complex, but also simply too big to agree on everything in the region.”
According to the province, more is needed to protect the Drenthe nature reserves than measures that can only be taken in and by Drenthe. The national rules that Drenthe asks for must apply to all companies, not just those with a Natura 2000 area. This means that the rules will be the same everywhere nationally and the burden will be distributed more fairly, according to the province.
The province is mainly thinking of the farmers in Drenthe. This sector is important for the economy, employment, quality of life and the maintenance and management of the landscape, the province says. As long as it is unclear what is still possible and allowed in the future, it will remain unworkable and uncertain for farms. The farmers need ‘a clear perspective’, as the province calls it. That is not the case with the existing legislation, according to deputy Henk Jumelet.
The province wants a clear and attractive offer for quitters, so that those farmers can gradually stop or start another business.
The province of Drenthe has been working with numerous organizations for over a year to determine what is needed per area to limit nitrogen emissions. The province is not only looking at farmers, but also at other sectors. That is why the province is at the table with nature and environmental organizations and also with entrepreneurs’ association VNO/NCW, Bouwend Nederland and farmers’ organisations.
In order to get this approach off the ground per area, Jumelet therefore asks for clarity from the government.
Earlier this week, four nature organizations asked the province to speed up tackling nitrogen emissions. They are ‘great concern’ that the approach and licensing are not getting along. That is why the organizations asked the central government and the provinces for ‘a breakthrough’.
They do see something in the plans of nitrogen minister Christianne van der Wal to buy out farmers who want that with an attractive arrangement.