Dutch government unveils 250 million plan to halve nitrogen emissions by 2035

The Dutch government on Friday unveiled a €250 million package to cut nitrogen emissions from industry and transport by 50 percent by 2035 compared with 2019 levels, as part of a broader national strategy to restore ecosystems strained by decades of pollution. The announcement, made by the cabinet in The Hague, follows months of negotiations with provincial authorities and industry groups over how to meet stricter EU air quality benchmarks without crippling key economic sectors.
Under the plan, emissions from factories, power plants and vehicles will be slashed from current levels to 50 percent below 2019 baselines within 14 years, according to documents released by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management . The funds will be directed toward retrofitting industrial facilities, expanding public transport electrification and subsidizing cleaner technologies in logistics fleets. The government estimates the measures will create 3,000 new jobs in green engineering and renewable energy installation.
Reaction to the package has been mixed. Environmental groups cautiously welcomed the targets but warned they fall short of what is needed to reverse biodiversity loss in nitrogen-saturated regions such as the Brabantse Peel. Johan Vollenbroek, a prominent activist, called the plan “deeply disappointing” and vowed to challenge it in court . Meanwhile, the Dutch Farmers’ Union (LTO) condemned the measures as “painful” and demanded several provisions be withdrawn, arguing they would force smallholders out of business .
The nitrogen strategy comes as the European Union reported a 6 percent rise in mineral fertiliser use across the bloc in 2024, with 9.8 million tonnes of nitrogen and phosphorus applied to farmland—up from 9.2 million tonnes in 2023 . The increase, tracked by Eurostat, underscores the tension between agricultural productivity and environmental restoration, a debate now intensifying in the Netherlands where dairy and livestock sectors remain heavily reliant on nitrogen-based inputs.
Critics point out that without stricter enforcement of manure regulations and mandatory adoption of precision farming tools, the €250 million investment may only partially offset the ecological damage already inflicted on peatlands and heathlands. The cabinet has pledged to review progress annually and adjust funding allocations accordingly, with the first assessment scheduled for December 2027.
Follow us for live European news
- 5
- 3
- 2
- 2
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
2 further sources not geolocated







