Minister Wiersma: “We need to restart the permitting process. For me, realistic, achievable, and sustainable plans are paramount, so we can provide entrepreneurs with the certainty they deserve. At the same time, I realize that we will be asking a lot from entrepreneurs. It is good that we can start with the first measures and that there is a foundation to build upon, together with the involved parties.”
Measures to Build Upon
The current permitting system is no longer sustainable. Even sustainability efforts are stalled, and recreational activities such as hiking are being hampered. Therefore, the cabinet intends to present a new permitting system after the summer, based on better insight into the state of nature and all associated pressure factors. The cabinet is also looking at the long-term reassessment of Natura 2000 areas.
In addition to adjustments in legislation and regulations, nitrogen reduction is also necessary. The cabinet aims for a 50% emission reduction (industry, mobility, and construction) and 42-46% (agriculture) by 2035 compared to 2019. To achieve this, measures have been established that the cabinet will build upon in the coming weeks. All sectors will contribute to this. For instance, the cabinet wants to focus on further sustainability of waste incineration plants and intensifying the Peak Load Approach in the industry. For agriculture, the cabinet focuses on goal-oriented steering, natural succession, and additional allocation of resources around specific Natura 2000 areas, such as with agricultural nature and landscape management. For mobility and construction, the cabinet is considering the sustainability of inland shipping and rail freight transport in the Port of Rotterdam, the greening of road traffic, and area-specific trajectory controls around nitrogen-sensitive Natura 2000 areas.
Starter Package
Many steps have already been taken in recent years to reduce nitrogen and restore nature, but a structural solution is lacking. Two court rulings underscore the urgency. Therefore, the cabinet is focusing in the short term on a scientifically substantiated mathematical lower limit, improving nature goal analyses, and a proposal will come around the summer to adjust the legal environmental values to emission targets.
Given the urgency, the cabinet is introducing a starter package. A budget of € 1.6 billion is allocated for this (from reserved funds from the Framework Agreement), in addition to the € 600 million that has been allocated in the Spring Memorandum. Furthermore, an additional € 213 million is structurally allocated. From this starter amount of € 2.2 billion, € 200 million will be made available to further develop goal-oriented steering. Additionally, we are working on a voluntary extensification scheme for dairy farmers to alleviate the manure market and achieve climate and ammonia targets. € 627 million is available for this. A voluntary cessation scheme will also be introduced for farmers who wish to stop, for example, because they have no succession. For this scheme, € 750 million is available. To enable nature restoration, an additional € 100 million is allocated.
In addition to these general measures, the cabinet will focus on areas where the need is greatest. Action will begin in the Veluwe and Peel – areas with the most urgent challenges. In the Spring Memorandum, the cabinet has allocated € 600 million for this. The implementation of this funding will be developed in consultation with the provinces.