Sinkevicius: The Netherlands should have limited nitrogen much earlier

The Netherlands should have taken measures against nitrogen emissions years ago. If action had been taken earlier, such drastic measures would not be necessary now. This was stated by Environment Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius in a debate in Strasbourg about the European biodiversity goals.

According to Sinkevičius, the enforcement of nitrate rules in the Netherlands has been imminent since the 1960s. With his remarks, the EU commissioner aligned with earlier statements from VVD and CDA politicians in The Hague, who said that environmental and agricultural policies have tried to continue business as usual for too long.

Instead of implementing restrictive measures, the Netherlands actually took steps in the opposite direction in the past. To resolve this, large investments are now needed. “It is very important that this money reaches those most affected by the consequences of the transition,” said Sinkevičius.

The Environment Commissioner made his remarks about the situation in the Netherlands in response to questions from Dutch Member of the European Parliament Anja Hazekamp (Party for the Animals). “For decades, growth and intensification of livestock farming have been pushed in the Netherlands by governments and banks.

The Netherlands is now one of the countries that must drastically reduce the amount of nitrogen entering nature reserves. And that inevitably means a drastic reduction in livestock numbers,” said Hazekamp. 

The EU Commissioner emphasized the importance of nature conservation in his response and referred to the Spanish nature reserve in the Mar Menor lagoon that has been destroyed by agriculture and the pig industry. “It has become almost uninhabitable. This is what happens if nothing is done against nitrogen emissions,” warned Sinkevičius.

The EU Commissioner appreciates the efforts of the current Dutch government to solve the problem. “We have agreed on a clear plan with the Dutch government. Many other EU countries have preceded the Netherlands in complying with and implementing European environmental legislation. I believe this will also succeed in the Netherlands,” said Sinkevičius.