The nature plans presented in June not only involve reducing pesticides in agriculture but also include restoration of woodland areas and green elements in the landscape.
The way and speed at which the tightened targets are proposed to be achieved are currently neither feasible nor realistic in the (current) Dutch situation. Minister Adema requested a separate consultation with the European Commission regarding the situation in the Netherlands and the consequences of the accumulation of new plans. "Not everything can be done everywhere and at the same time," he summarized.
During the monthly Agriculture Council of the ministers of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality, Adema pointed out that not only EU Agriculture has introduced new plans (CAP, Farm to Fork, biodiversity etc.), but also significant Commission plans for Environment, Climate and Energy, which according to him, converge simultaneously on the farmyard.
According to him, the Netherlands is currently in the middle of a fundamental transition of the rural area. This is a substantial challenge that leads to major societal unrest, despite the fact that sufficient budget is available to support this transition. The nature restoration targets proposed in June add significantly to this burden, he stated.
“What worries not only me but the entire Dutch government is the manner and speed with which it is proposed to implement the nature restoration plan. We are currently dealing with acute housing shortages, an urgently needed energy transition, the transition to sustainable food production, but also nature restoration. And all this in a densely populated country like the Netherlands,” he told his fellow ministers from other EU countries.
Environment Commissioner Sinkevicius did not address Adema’s request for a separate discussion about 'the situation in the Netherlands' during the public part of the ministers’ meeting, but afterwards Adema told Dutch reporters that he had spoken extensively with the Environment Commissioner in the sidelines.