The Dutch government on Wednesday unveiled a package of measures to reduce the Netherlands’ greenhouse gas emissions and combat climate change, totaling 28 billion euros.
These measures, which include clean energy and electric vehicle initiatives, should enable the country to meet its targets of reducing CO2 emissions by 55% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels. Even rise to 60%. “It is inevitable that our country, our landscape and our economy will change,” commented Rob Jetten, Minister of Climate and Energy, in presenting these measures at a press conference in The Hague.
“We are working to achieve a carbon neutral circular economy by 2050,” he noted. “To do that, we need to really get rid of fossil fuels and we need to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions,” Jetten continued. He presented no less than 120 measures, including the closure of all gas and coal-fired power plants by 2035, subsidies for the purchase of second-hand electric vehicles and a 65 million euro envelope to fund research into the construction of smaller nuclear power plants. The authorities had already announced the construction of two nuclear power plants in the south of the country by 2035.
According to the minister, the likely rise in oil prices in the next few years will encourage motorists to opt for electric transportation. Therefore, the government has set aside 600 million euros to subsidize the purchase of used electric vehicles. And also to increase the number of battery charging sites.
“By working hard to create our own renewable energy sources, we can ensure that we are less dependent on fossil fuels from questionable regimes,” Jetten said. “We don’t have to be blackmailed by guys like Putin,” he said, referring to the Russian president.
Europe was very dependent on Russian gas before Moscow invaded Ukraine in February 2022. The Dutch announcement comes after the formal adoption on Tuesday by the European Union member states of the ambitious reform of their carbon market, voted the previous week by MEPs, a final green light that paves the way for the entry into force of this pillar of the European climate plan.
