The European Commission believes that Dutch agriculture must seriously reduce emissions of pollutants such as nitrogen and ammonia. Otherwise, the Netherlands risks failing to comply with international environmental and climate agreements, such as the Paris Climate Agreement and the Water Framework Directive.
This emerges from the recommendations the European Commission recently gave to the Netherlands for drafting a National Strategic Plan. Such an NSP will require the Netherlands later this year to inform Brussels how The Hague intends to implement the new EU environmental targets (“Green Deal”) of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).
In the coming months, the European Commission will introduce a flood of concrete Green Deal proposals, especially in June. The commission will also assess what is feasible for each country. Countries that need to catch up can expect additional EU subsidies. Farmers will (for now) not be obliged to change their practices, but should instead be encouraged through subsidies and premiums, as intended.
Promotion
The focus is primarily on the Farm to Fork strategy and the preservation of biodiversity, with goals for more organic farming and agricultural landscapes and to halve the use of harmful pesticides within ten years.
Brussels points out to Minister of Agriculture Carola Schouten the increased use of artificial fertilizers and manure and the emission of greenhouse gases (methane and nitrous oxide). This emission per hectare of agricultural land in the Netherlands is four times higher than the EU average, especially on sandy soils.
Additionally, the Netherlands does not sufficiently comply with water pollution rules. Intensive use of the countryside by agriculture has led to a lowering of the groundwater level, particularly in peat areas. As a result, the countryside’s sponge function has been ‘significantly reduced.’
“Due to climate change, the Netherlands is expected to become warmer and wetter, with more frequent summer droughts and a rising sea level. Many of these challenges are already being felt. Severe droughts have caused significant economic damage over the past 3 years.”