The airport has purchased three farms for over 11 million euros, including land and buildings. The nitrogen rights were purchased in seven other farms for over 5 million euros.
Schiphol can then purchase nitrogen space for Schiphol Airport and Lelystad Airport. As a result, they are more likely to be eligible for a required natural permit. Actually, current nitrogen emissions from airports should be reduced for this.
In recent weeks, such purchases of nitrogen rights have come under fire, after it became known that Rijkswaterstaat is taking over farmers to build a motorway expansion.
The cabinet also wants to take over the farmers themselves to reduce total nitrogen emissions near nature reserves. To achieve this, the cabinet wants to give the government the first right to take over farmers.
‘Reducing flights does not pay enough’
Schiphol says it understands pitch is sensitive. But according to a spokesman, the airport has no other options for obtaining the natural permit.
“Reducing the number of flights is not enough. If you cancel flights on busy escape routes above residential areas, you will not reduce emissions in vulnerable nature reserves.”
According to the spokesman, the cancellation of flights over residential areas is the policy in the Netherlands and it is not possible to specifically cancel flights over natural areas. “To achieve the required effect, you have to cancel many more flights. But then you have almost no Schiphol left.”
The airport will soon buy five more farmers. Talks are still ongoing about this. In total, the farmers’ takeover will cost 20 to 25 million euros.
