The Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency believes the new coalition is making a significant step in raising climate ambitions, but warns that targets for 2030 may not be achieved. Various plans are still awaiting elaboration and substantiation, but time is of the essence.
In the coalition agreement that was signed last week presented VVD, D66, CDA and ChristenUnie agree to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 55 percent by 2030 compared to 1990. As a precaution, the bar is set a little higher, at a 60 percent reduction, as extra slack.
“Our observation is that the time needed for the elaboration of the coalition agreement into concrete policy and its implementation is at odds with the timely realization of the ambitions from the agreement,” writes the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency. in a reflection on the agreement. “In addition, some of the measures proposed in the agreement are voluntary in nature.”
Nuclear energy
In order to achieve the goals for after 2030, the advantages and disadvantages of new nuclear power plants are being investigated. The Planning Bureau calls this choice remarkable, because it is still unclear whether the benefits of the power stations outweigh the costs.
According to the Planning Bureau, the new cabinet would do well to make a comparison with alternatives and then include factors such as costs, use of space, security of supply and storage of radioactive waste.
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