Netherlands: Government Presents National Program to Reduce Nitrogen Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Rural Areas

On June 10, 2022, the Dutch Minister for Nitrogen and Nature Policy, Ms. Christianne van der Wal, presented a plan laying out the objectives for Dutch nitrogen greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions. The plan included both national and area-specific objectives . The Dutch Provinces are responsible for developing corresponding measures to reach the nitrogen emission reductions between 12 and 70 percent, depending on the area. Farmers in some provinces will be particularly hard hit by the area-oriented approach, and the Dutch government acknowledged “there is not a future for all {Dutch} farmers within [this] approach.” Small protests have already followed the announcement, with a larger farmer protest set for June 22, 2022 in the Province of Gelderland.