Nitrogen knee trap puts the proportions on edge

This week it was already the third week that the joint agricultural organizations did not speak with Johan Remkes or Mark Rutte. They first want to see movement on the part of the cabinet. And it came, but in an unexpected way. In our new weekly column Nitrogen Mood we give an impression of the nitrogen crisis in our own way.

While Johan Remkes spoke in three sessions this week with numerous organizations and companies, CDA leader Wopke Hoekstra is putting a bomb under nitrogen policy (and thus the cabinet). Nitrogen target 2030 is no longer sacred to him, he says in the AD. Hoekstra reportedly did that with the knife at his throat. The national party organization revolts. Hoekstra wants to get rid of the critical deposition value (KDW) and wants more time for agriculture to adapt. And Derk Boswijk, the agricultural spokesperson for the CDA faction in the House of Representatives, was relieved, according to a tweet from him.

According to Agractie leader Bart Kemp, who has his own political lines, even more politicians will follow Hoekstra's example. If so, the game in the background seems to be more fruitful than participating in the consultation circuit with Remkes or answering Staghouwer's phone calls to agricultural leaders to come and talk.

Prime Minister Mark Rutte (VVD) gave Hoekstra an almost friendly slap on the fingers this morning. Other cabinet members and members of D66 were less pleased. Nitrogen minister Christianne van der Wal (VVD) said this afternoon after the Council of Ministers that he would implement a coalition agreement. She and agriculture minister Henk Staghouwer (ChristenUnie) first want to await Remkes' findings. The cabinet will not adjust the timeline, says Van der Wal. It is inevitable that this will get another tail…

Innovate?
After Remkes spoke to farmers' organizations about the nitrogen impasse on Friday 5 August, he had a full program again this week. On Monday the nature organizations came by, on Wednesday the employers' organizations and yesterday the chain parties were invited. What have the talks produced this week? The cabinet will examine with the business community whether innovation can be stimulated, it was promised on Wednesday after the discussion with the employers' organizations. A relatively small amount of €2,7 billion has now been reserved from the €25 billion nitrogen fund for strengthening entrepreneurship and innovation, housing systems and management measures.

Van der Wal's mantra
The mantra of nitrogen minister Van der Wal with regard to innovation is that it must be 'legally tenable'. She repeated that again this week. Therein lies the crux. House systems appear to work less well in normal practice than in ideal 'laboratory' conditions. Moreover, the characteristic of innovations is that they are new and often continue to develop. What is new and experimental is almost by definition unproven and legally conclusive. If so, is it still an innovation? Remkes also quoted his own report from a few years ago yesterday. Farmers themselves must be enabled to manage their emissions. 'To measure is to know better', stated the report of the Remkes Committee. According to him, not much has been done with it yet.

WOO documents Schipholwatch
As is now almost usual, revelations came out again this week via documents that were requested invoking the openness of information (WOO). This time the documents were who had requested Schipholwatch the most informative. This shows how the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management almost hand in hand with Schiphol Airport almost summons the fellow Ministry of LNV to supply emission rights for the national airport. This is necessary to keep the fifth runway open and to be able to return to 500.000 flights a year. Understandably they are furious at LNV, especially now that it is coming out. A salient point, according to Schipholwatch, is that the farmers have not been given any space to date, not even to innovate. While Mark Harbers, Minister of I&W, is asking about €60 million for the next five years to keep Schiphol out of legal trouble.

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