The state of Dutch nature is “downright bad”. The policy to improve the quality of nature falls short in many respects. Goals to which the Netherlands has committed itself, such as clean surface and groundwater everywhere in 2027, are therefore likely not to be achieved. The Council for the Living Environment and Infrastructure (Rli) draws these hard conclusions in a report that was presented to Minister Van der Wal for Nature and Nitrogen.
According to the Council, the poor quality of Dutch nature has various causes. First of all, the definition of nature that is used is too limited. According to the report, the government focuses too much on protected natural areas, without realizing that they are part of larger ecosystems. “After all, many animals use surrounding areas to find food, or cross those areas to migrate to where they hibernate.”
The Council therefore recommends a much more “inclusive” nature policy. “For a large-scale restoration of biodiversity, it is essential that nature policy is broadened. The policy will have to focus on all greenery in our country, ie both on nature in protected areas and beyond,” the researchers say.
Nature within walking distance
Specifically, the immediate living environment must become much greener. Not only because it is good for biodiversity, but also “because of the importance of a green living environment for the health and well-being of people.” Natural areas should be within cycling or walking distance for all citizens.
According to the Council, the reason for the deterioration of nature’s quality is due to “collective amnesia”. Over the years, many plant and animal species have mysteriously disappeared from the Netherlands: “We do not know what we are missing, because we have hardly known it ourselves. We can hardly imagine the natural wealth that has only recently come to the fore. lies.”
That is why nature is often seen in politics as a cost item and “as a partial interest that hinders economic growth”. The importance of nature must be taken into account more emphatically in decision-making. Financial incentives such as a nitrogen tax should also ensure that damage to nature does not pay off economically.
One approach for all issues
The Council also concludes that nature policy is insufficiently linked to other issues, such as housing, energy transition and making agriculture more sustainable. An approach in which all these problems are solved simultaneously in areas often encounters problems because there are separate pots for all issues whose budgets cannot be combined.
As far as the Council is concerned, there will therefore be an area-oriented approach for each region, in which all these issues will be included in one plan. To this end, governments at all levels – from central government to municipalities and water boards – must work together and also involve private parties such as the construction sector.
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