Minister Wiebes finds it not so bad that the calculations of the costs of the Climate Agreement are different than previously thought. According to him, numbers are changed as often as the insights change.
“Estimates are constantly being adjusted,” says Wiebes. “Some things turn out to be cheaper than expected, others turn out to be more expensive. You keep adjusting your estimates, but the basic principle remains that it remains affordable for everyone.”
This morning it appeared that the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (PBL) made mistakes in making calculations about the greening of houses. As a result, homeowners and housing corporations have lost more money than the cabinet had reported so far.
No measures
Wiebes says that he will not interfere with the planning bureau’s calculations, now that mistakes have been made. According to him, the agreement is that the calculations are constantly being adjusted, so that the figures are as good as possible.
“Sometimes they go down, sometimes they go up, but the government must always ensure that it remains feasible and affordable,” says Wiebes.
The minister does not intend to take measures against the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency. “I am happy with a planning agency that adjusts the estimates. All new insights are processed here and we have been doing so for decades.”
“Green Khmer”
There is more fuss about the calculation errors in the Lower House. The PVV and Forum for Democracy are confirmed in their opinion that the government is always far too low in considering the costs of the climate transition to the citizen.
“Unfortunately we are once again right about the astronomical costs of the absurd ‘transition”, tweets FvD leader Baudet. PVV leader Wilders speaks of “lies of the Green Khmer”. “We’ve been fooled.”
CDA member Ronnes wants to know whether the government is going to adjust the plans for making houses more sustainable. GroenLinkser Van der Lee believes that the government should put more money aside “to finance unprofitable peaks if investments in one’s own home do not return through low energy bills”.
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