The government will allocate an extra 5 billion euros for the next ten years to reduce nitrogen emissions and precipitation. These are measures within agriculture, but also for aviation, industry, shipping and traffic. In addition, legislation is being worked on to record the nitrogen target.
The Hague sources confirm this to NU.nl on Monday after reports by various media.
Government parties VVD, CDA, D66 and ChristenUnie broadly agreed on Monday about the package. On Tuesday, the parties will go through the last details before the Council of Ministers will consider it on Friday.
In total, 3 billion euros will go to nature protection and restoration, at the same time, 2 billion will be earmarked for reducing nitrogen emissions.
By 2030, at least half of the protected nature reserves should no longer be subject to too much nitrogen emissions. In order to safeguard that goal, a law will be introduced that will ensure that emissions in ten years’ time will fall below the so-called critical deposition value. The cabinet hopes to treat this law before the summer in the House of Representatives and the Senate.
Last year, the cabinet was criticized by the Council of State (RvS) because the old nitrogen policy was flawed. After several lawsuits, the construction to reduce nitrogen emissions, the Nitrogen Approach Program (PAS), proved legally untenable.
Thousands of construction projects approved with the old nitrogen permit had to be shut down.
Too much nitrogen is bad for biodiversity, which in turn has a negative effect on the animals in those areas.
Dairy farmers are bought out voluntarily
To ensure less nitrogen emissions, € 2 billion is invested in so-called source measures. For example, dairy farmers are bought out on a voluntary basis. That must be farms that are located near protected nature reserves and are relatively polluting. To accommodate farmers who want to continue farming, extra money is spent on innovation and making stables more sustainable.
More resources are also going to circular agriculture. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality (LNV), circular agriculture produces as little waste as possible, the emission of harmful substances is as small as possible and raw materials and end products are used as efficiently as possible.
At the same time, 3 billion euros will go to measures for a more robust nature. This could mean expanding or better managing areas.
This investment is in addition to the previously announced measures to buy out the highly polluting stables, the peak taxers, and to expand the voluntary remediation of the pig farmers.
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