Cabinet under pressure from two directions as MPs
debate nitrogen plans
Politics April 19, 2023 Farmers’ party BBB is
the largest faction in all 12 provincial assemblies. Photo: DutchNews.nl
The
government’s plans to cut back the agricultural sector in order to reduce
nitrogen pollution are expected to come under pressure from opposition parties
when parliament debates the measures later on Wednesday. Ministers want to
invest a total of €24 billion in measures designed to reduce nitrogen compound
emissions by buying out farmers near conservation areas and supporting others
who choose to downsize or adopt more environmentally friendly methods. But
there are competing demands to reform the plans from the farmers’ party BBB,
which became the largest party in provincial government in the elections in
March, and the centre-left parties GroenLinks and PvdA, who want the cabinet to
step up its measures. GroenLinks and PvdA both say they will vote against the
plans if the government abandons its commitment to reduce nitrogen compound
emissions by half by 2030. ‘If you’re spending billions you need to make sure
that you achieve your goals at the end of the day: restoring nature and making
the agriculture sector fit for the future,’ said GroenLinks leader Jesse Klaver.
The BBB has called for the 2030 date, which was agreed in the coalition deal
last January, to be pushed back to the deadline of 2035 cited in the nitrogen
law that parliament passed in 2021. The Christian Democrats (CDA), who are one
of the four coalition parties, have said the 2030 deadline should be
renegotiated, which prompted prime minister Mark Rutte to announce a pause in
negotiations with the farming sector at least until July. The provincial
administrations have been given a deadline of July 1 to come up with detailed
plans to reduce nitrogen compound emissions, but the rise of the BBB has
changed the relationship between the provinces and The Hague. On Tuesday
farmers’ lobby organisation the LTO said it wanted to see the government’s
outline plans within three weeks. ‘We need to have a firm document with a clear
budget so we can start the transition of agriculture,’ chairman Sjaak van der
Tak said.
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