News Climate
The Netherlands needs a stronger climate policy
The Netherlands will have to make a greater effort to contribute proportionally to the new European climate target. That is the conclusion of the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (PBL). Agriculture must also play its part.
A climate neutral Europe in 2050, that is the goal that the European Commission has in mind. Entirely in line with the Paris Agreement. To achieve that goal, the ambitions for 2030 reinforced† The new European Climate Plan 2030 states that the reduction of CO2 emissions must be increased from 40% to at least 55% compared to 1990.
The Netherlands is currently lagging behind the European average with its rate of emission reduction. The PBL notes that the Netherlands must at least fully implement its own Climate Agreement until 2030. The CO2030 reduction rate must then be further increased in the period from 2050 to 2. Dutch policy, which mainly focuses on 2030, must anticipate this now. That is the advice to the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate.
More renewable energy
The new European Climate Plan 2030 prescribes, among other things, that Europe must generate more energy sustainably. In 2030, this should not be 32% of the total energy supply, but 38% to 40%. The latest standings show that the EU averaged 2019% in 18, with countries such as Sweden, Finland and Latvia leading the way. The Netherlands was at the bottom of the list with only 7,4% renewable energy.
With the national Climate Agreement that was presented more than a year ago, the Netherlands hopes to catch up. There is a strong focus on wind and solar energy, among other things. Steps are being taken in that regard. In the first half of 2020, 14% of electricity in the Netherlands was generated from sun and wind. This is evident from Ember's semi-annual analysis. Germany and Denmark lead the way in Europe with 42% and 64% solar and wind energy respectively. On average, the counter in the European Union stands at more than 21%, putting it in the lead worldwide.
Greater effort in agriculture also needed
The new EU climate plan is not yet concrete about what effort the different countries or sectors should make. The tightened target probably means that more efforts are needed in the Netherlands, also in the period up to 2030. This applies not only to the sectors that fall under the European emissions trading system ETS (electricity and large industry), but also to the so-called ESR sectors where agriculture falls under.
If the European Commission sticks to the system of effort allocation between the Member States on the basis of gross domestic product, then the Dutch effort in the ESA sectors will have to increase. This is how the PBL establishes.
Agriculture and land use
At present, agriculture and land use in Europe are still treated as separate sectors. If these sectors are combined together in the policy, the sequestration of CO2 in soils and forests could serve to compensate for the emissions of the other greenhouse gases from agriculture.
The situation in the Netherlands deviates strongly from the European average, due to the relatively high emissions mainly from livestock farming. Moreover, unlike many other countries in Europe, the Netherlands also has net emissions for land use. It will be very decisive for the Netherlands what such a scheme will look like. On the other hand, an integrated approach to agriculture and land use can have advantages, and can also offer room for maneuver at farm level.
Jeanette Pennings
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