The Dutch judiciary has ordered the government to strengthen its efforts to reduce nitrogen pollution, threatening a €10 million fine following a legal complaint by Greenpeace. This marks a legal victory for Greenpeace, compelling the government to take action to meet its goal of halving nitrogen-polluted areas by 2030.
This environmental issue, primarily caused by agriculture and transport, has been a political headache for over a decade. Despite previous attempts, such as a €24 billion fund now reduced to €5 billion, measures to achieve the 2030 reduction targets face strong public opposition, particularly from farmers. Recently, the Prime Minister established a task force to prevent national projects from stalling due to the ongoing crisis.
Nitrogen pollution has sparked massive farmer protests over the years, fueling the rise of the populist BBB movement. The Dutch government now faces multiple challenges, including:
- Resistance from farmers opposing livestock reduction measures;
- Conflict between agricultural transport companies, accused of being major nitrogen emitters, and environmental advocates;
- Regulatory uncertainty regarding potential bans on nitrogen-emitting activities;
- Government paralysis, torn between court orders and pressure from interest groups.
Source: Bloomberg