ANP
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NOS News•today, 13:07•Amended today, 13:49
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The House of Representatives has many critical questions about the government’s nitrogen plans. In preparation for a later debate, dozens of questions were asked about proposals that should lead to a 50 percent reduction in national nitrogen emissions by 2030.
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The questions also show that three of the four coalition factions want the cabinet to better explain or reconsider its choices.
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Members of parliament are critical of RIVM’s calculations on ammonia emissions from agriculture, among other things. According to the RIVM, this must be reduced by 39 kilotons, but the governing parties VVD, CDA and ChristenUnie question this.
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Air for the agricultural sector
The target for that ammonia reduction is probably higher than is necessary to meet the legal target for nitrogen reduction. The VVD wants to know from its own minister Van der Wal how it views this. The largest government faction wonders whether the legal goal should not be the starting point and thinks that a more favorable reduction result for industry may provide some relief for the agricultural sector.
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The CDA also wants to know why 30 kilotons of ammonia reduction has not been chosen instead of 39. According to the Christian Democrats, no clear answer has been given so far and the Minister for Nitrogen must first explain this clearly.
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Coalition partner ChristenUnie asks that question in similar terms. That party wants to know why the cabinet has opted for an ammonia emission reduction of 39 kilotons, “while there were many good arguments for the 30 kton approach”.
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Minister Van der Wal previously announced that this 39 kiloton reduction in ammonia is higher than the minimum required. It has opted for this, among other things, because it does not want to focus on the targeted purchase of certain companies next to nature reserves. That 39 kilotons could also be adjusted downwards if, for example, the climate approach results in an additional nitrogen reduction.
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Ambiguity and noise
MPs also have many critical remarks about the government’s communication about the plans, which lead to a lot of social unrest.
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According to the CDA, it is necessary to prevent plans and calculations from being interpreted in different ways with such complex subjects, but the cabinet has not succeeded in doing so. “The large amount of information that has been shared with the House creates more ambiguity and noise than clarity,” says the party.
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Nitrogen map off the table
The ChristenUnie wants the controversial nitrogen map, which indicates in detail for each area how much nitrogen reduction is needed, to be removed from the table. There is much to be said about that map and Prime Minister Rutte offered his advice in consultations with farmers’ organizations led by mediator Remkes last week. excuses for communication about the card in question. The ChristenUnie even asks the cabinet to withdraw this “one sector, too detailed map with questionable assumptions”.
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Part of the opposition emphasizes that the cabinet should not succumb to the great pressure to change the plans, but that they should be continued.
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