Gelderland leads the way with 24 municipalities committing to cleaner air by 2030
Residents of Gelderland can expect healthier air as 24 municipalities join the Clean Air Agreement, reducing pollution from traffic, industry, and agriculture. The province supports local efforts with tools and collaboration, aiming for a 50% health improvement by 2030.
| Key Data Point | Details |
|---|---|
| Number of participating municipalities in Gelderland | 24 |
| Total Dutch municipalities in SLA | 150 (including Ermelo) |
| Target health improvement by 2030 | At least 50% compared to 2016 |
| Example project | Emission-free road construction on N309 near Epe |
| Pollution sources addressed | Traffic, shipping, mobile machinery, industry, agriculture |
| Tools provided to municipalities | Regional roadmaps, calculation tool, council proposal templates |
| WHO guideline target | Meeting air quality guideline values by 2030 |
The Province of Gelderland plays a coordinating role in regional environmental policy, working closely with municipalities to implement national agreements like the Clean Air Agreement. Its responsibilities include providing financial support, sharing expertise, and facilitating collaboration to improve public health outcomes.
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More municipalities moving towards cleaner air
We are working together with municipalities to achieve cleaner and healthier air for all residents in Gelderland. This includes supporting municipalities in joining the Clean Air Agreement (SLA).
With the Clean Air Agreement, we are encouraging efforts to reduce air pollution by addressing emissions from sources such as traffic, shipping, mobile machinery, industry, and agriculture.
Practical example: working on emission-free roads
An example of how we are working to improve air quality is emission-free road construction. During the work on the N309 near Epe, we are using electric machinery and equipment. This reduces emissions of nitrogen, particulate matter, and CO₂ during the work and demonstrates that sustainable and clean operations are possible in practice. It also aligns well with the goals of the SLA.
More municipalities signing the SLA
We are supporting municipalities by sharing knowledge, providing practical tools, and organizing collaboration. Thanks to this approach, more Gelderland municipalities are joining. To date, 24 Gelderland municipalities have signed the SLA. Ermelo recently joined, making it the 150th municipality in the Netherlands to participate in the SLA.
Joint approach to air quality
It is encouraging that 24 Gelderland municipalities are now participating in the Clean Air Agreement. This broad participation gives a strong boost to our joint approach to improving air quality. It highlights how the province and municipalities are working together to create a healthy and safe Gelderland with cleaner air for our residents.
Deputy Ans Mol, Province of Gelderland
Tools
To help municipalities decide to sign the SLA, regional roadmaps have been created for each area. These maps show where municipalities are already active per theme and where collaboration is possible. We have also developed a calculation tool that allows municipalities to easily see how much time and staff are needed to implement the SLA. Municipalities that wished to join also received a template for a council proposal, making the decision-making process faster and clearer.
National support
Our project also produced recommendations for the national government. In June 2025, we sent these recommendations to the State Secretary on behalf of several Gelderland municipalities. The national SLA program team used these recommendations to implement additional measures to further assist municipalities.
We continue our efforts
Through collaboration, our network has grown stronger, and air quality has become a higher priority for more municipalities. We are now working on a follow-up project to further strengthen regional collaboration. With this approach, we are working with SLA partners to achieve a health gain of at least 50% by 2030 compared to 2016 in the Netherlands. We are also working towards meeting the WHO air quality guideline values by 2030.
You can read more on our website about how we are working to improve air quality.