Remkes: 'Buy out 600 peak loaders within a year'

Within a year, 500 to 600 peak loaders (both from the agricultural sector and the business community) must be bought out, initially on a voluntary basis, with a better buy-out arrangement. Anyone who does not agree will still be expropriated. That is what Johan Remkes advises the cabinet. This would affect approximately 1% of agricultural entrepreneurs and more than 2.500 PAS detectors would receive a permit with the nitrogen space that is released.

Today (October 5) VVD celebrity Johan Remkes will present his recommendations with the title 'What is possible' (a wink to the 2020 report of the Advisory Board on Nitrogen Problems, commonly referred to as the Remkes Committee, 'Not everything is possible everywhere') how the further with tackling the nitrogen crisis, after all the official and unofficial talks he had with farmers, nature organizations, governments and chain parties. He also presented his findings to the new agricultural minister Piet Adema (ChristenUnie) and Minister for Nature and Nitrogen Christianne van der Wal (VVD).

Better buyout arrangement
According to Remkes, the first choice that peak loaders can make is 'to reduce emissions at the relevant location to almost zero within a year'. "For example, by applying proven and recognized innovations, by changing the business model or by relocating." According to him, the second choice that peak loaders can make is voluntary sale to the government. To this end, there must be a 'PlusRegeling', one that is better than the existing schemes and after which no better offer is made. "This means that the financial valuation, the content of the restart ban and the tax consequences must be as favorable as possible, within the limits of the law and the state aid rules. The cabinet must discuss this quickly and at the highest level in Brussels," said Mr. Remkes.

There should also be a deadline attached to the buy-out arrangement before which the entrepreneur has to make a decision. According to Remkes, the government has no choice but to use mandatory instruments for the (hopefully a few) companies that let the deadline expire. This week it gave Planning Office for the Living Environment (PBL) with the government to be more realistic about the effect of voluntary purchase. 

Many of the interlocutors' wishes are realistic, says Remkes. He also believes that the state of nature should become central and that the Critical Deposition Value (KDW) can be removed from the law in due course, that the card should be taken off the table and that the agricultural entrepreneur should focus on emissions instead of depositions. Measures to permit new developments should also contribute to the recovery of nature. Remkes: "I propose to make 40% extra space for the restoration of nature with every permit."

'Stick to 2030 for the time being'
With regard to the timeline, Remkes recommends 'sticking to 2030' for the time being, but also evaluating in 2025 and 2028 whether more time can be taken in certain areas. "If at agreed benchmarks it appears that achieving the agreed objective is within reach and there are compelling substantive – i.e. not political – reasons to take a little more time, then that should be possible in my opinion." Remkes seems to be on the same page as CDA party leader Wopke Hoekstra who said in an interview in the AD in August that the goal of reducing nitrogen emissions by 2030% by 50 is 'not sacred' for CDA. "Of course you can already achieve the nitrogen targets in many places before 2030, but if it takes longer elsewhere, we have to take that time," Hoekstra said.  

Agractie has announced that it will symbolically offer a song ('Dit Land') near the House of Representatives near the House of Representatives, which will also include a video clip in which farmers, fishermen and horticulturists are honored. "This Country is a penetrating message of hope that we as Dutch people should stay connected with each other, with nature and with our beautiful Netherlands," said Agractie in a press release.

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