Sustainability•5 Aug ’23 13:16•Edited on 5 Aug ’23 13:47Author: Thijs Baas
The Netherlands is far too preoccupied with details about nitrogen deposition, nature and agriculture. With a budget of barely 20 million euros, you can map out the entire biodiversity in the Netherlands within two years to see how you can get construction and infrastructure going again. That is what Edwin van Huis, director of Naturalis, says as a guest in BNR Business.
Van Huis is happy to work with that budget itself. After all, Naturalis has pre-eminently the knowledge and instruments to map biodiversity in the Netherlands. Unfortunately, the Netherlands simply lacks interest in the state of biodiversity. ‘The discussion is about how complicated it all is with nitrogen and CO2 and that we should not do too much and that the barbecue should keep burning.’
‘There is very little interest in it in the Netherlands, slightly more in Europe. The money does not go there in the Netherlands. ‘
Edwin van Huis, Naturalis
That barbecue can continue in the future, says Van Huis. As long as you have a clear picture of the best places to farm, build, live and work. Discussions with ministries about research into biodiversity have been going on for a long time, but the resources are lacking. ‘The money does not go there in the Netherlands. Ten years ago we didn’t have the technology to do this kind of thing, but now we can map everything very accurately.’
In the Netherlands we fight for every square meter and that brings with it many pressing spatial questions. You can answer that much better if you know exactly what nature is like. ‘Then nitrogen may be a reason, but the real question is whether biodiversity is doing well. If you know that, you can make much more precise policy and say in which area the soil is very good for agriculture and which area lends itself well to building.’
Mapping biodiversity
It is not for nothing that Naturalis has recently shifted its attention as an institute much more to the Netherlands. It offers opportunities to specifically look at Dutch biodiversity in the soil, in the water and around possible construction sites. ‘In view of the problems we are now facing, 20 million euros is not that much money. But we can use it to map biodiversity throughout the Netherlands.’
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Biologists alone cannot save the world, Van Huis realizes. And despite broken relationships with Shell and KLM, among others, Naturalis likes to continue working with companies. Naturalis is working with accountancy firm KPMG on a system for drawing up sustainability reports for companies. ‘They must be able to estimate the effect of your actions on biodiversity. You need scientists for that and they can find them with us.’
Collaborations with business
Naturalis developed an instrument for KPMG that accountants can use for their clients. Van Huis is ‘extremely happy’ with the collaboration and hopes it will continue for a long time. ‘We will really have to rely on all parties in society, and certainly also on large industry. We are also very happy to work with you. That is important, because shareholders also want to know what the effects of your actions as a company are on biodiversity.’
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The importance of knowledge about biodiversity is evident again in the construction of wind farms. Very little is known about the effect on life on the seabed – oysters, mussels and plants – says Van Huis. “We should have done that sooner. But the fact is that very little attention is paid to biodiversity research in the Netherlands. In the Netherlands, we always talk about policy first. But let’s do some proper research first.’
The Netherlands is far too preoccupied with details about nitrogen deposition, nature and agriculture. With a budget of roughly 20 million euros, you can map out the entire biodiversity in the Netherlands within two years to see how you can get construction and infrastructure going again. (Photo by Scotty Turner on Unsplash)
2023-08-05 11:16:00
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