Background Nitrogen Mood
State election increases pressure on nitrogen boiler
The voters who voted en masse for BBB and related parties on March 15, have again noticed this week what causes that: even more pressure on the nitrogen boiler. Almost everyone who says they are very concerned about nitrogen threw a wood on the fire. Prime Minister Rutte did his best on Friday evening to show that there is no crisis after all. In our weekly section Nitrogen Mood, we give an impression of the nitrogen crisis in our own way.
To do this, it would have been necessary to arrive at an incantation formula in several cabinet sessions this week. It sounded something like this on Friday evening: 'we are going to accelerate, but first we do nothing'. However, it should not be called a break, but we are still waiting for the new colleges to take office in the provinces.
Accelerate, but also wait
No doubt this is the harbinger of more higher politics. Before Rutte came up with the above-mentioned redeeming words, it seemed that a real acceleration could be achieved. The reasons could be there.
At the beginning of this week, for example, there was a request from MOB to withdraw the environmental permits of forty peak loaders. The Ministry of LNV (Nature Department) once again sounded the alarm about the health of nature areas.
Letter from Virginia
Just at the right time, Minister Van der Wal also received a politically acceptable letter from Brussels, in which the Lithuanian environmental commissioner Virginius Sinkevicius once again urged her clearly and in detail to stick to the critical deposition standards. To avoid any misunderstanding, the European Commissioner had also drafted his letter in neat Dutch. Van der Wal then stated that he was 'shocked' by this signal. Ready to get started. But not for the time being, Rutte more or less made it clear after the cabinet meeting on Friday.
There were also many questions about the how and what of the letter on Friday - how did it suddenly come about? - but they were briefly pushed into the background by the news of a cabinet crisis. However, MP Pieter Omtzigt has bitten himself into it, so will be prosecuted. The letter also stated that if farmers are bought out, the nitrogen space may not go to other nature permits. Van der Wal said to the massively rushed media during the day on Friday that she 'naturally' understands the concerns of the PAS reporters about this, but she did not want to comment further on the letter (yet).
Only in the prescribed manner
The conclusion seems: The Netherlands will not get rid of the lock just like that. That only goes the way it has been prescribed and explained time and time again by the Minister of Nitrogen Policy, D66, the European Commission and all concerned environmental groups. Anyone who is stuck in this frame of mind should have been present last Tuesday at a meeting of LTO Netherlands in a theater in The Hague. It was also about nitrogen, and the Dutch nitrogen minister was also present there. However, she did not speak. This was done by the Flemish nitrogen minister, Zuhal Demir.
Sober and liberating Demir
And she did so in such a sober and liberating way that some of those present spontaneously asked her to take over the helm in the Netherlands. Now there are also farmers and administrators in Flanders who would like to see her leave, but Demir was a relief for Dutch standards. With her no dogmas about KDW, KDW and more KDW. Nor a rigid view of agriculture as the only polluter.
Bleach too fast
Shortly afterwards, Van der Wal had to leave quickly, together with colleague Piet Adema. The latter still had to work hard on the realization of an agricultural agreement. On Thursday, a partial agreement for dairy farming seemed within reach. NMV chairman Henk Bleker had written a three-page document, which he said was supported by six parties. Just tighten it up next week and then it was ready, he said. His joy at this turned out to be short-lived. Bleker had rushed too far ahead of the troops and everyone withdrew their hands.
Turning to fair result
This kind of twist is not uncommon in complex negotiations, such as at the various agricultural tables. The goal is a fair negotiation result and more trust in each other, but the way to get there is one of playing chess on several boards at the same time and alternately confirming and denying that something has been said. Will there eventually be a broad agricultural agreement? This is probably due to several other matters, such as the sustainability of the current cabinet, the result that can also be achieved in the field of nitrogen and the question of how detailed an agricultural agreement should be.
Klaas van der Horst
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