Judges have ordered the Dutch state to take action to reduce nitrogen-based pollution in the country’s most vulnerable habitats or face a fi
Judges have ordered the Dutch state to take action to reduce nitrogen-based pollution in the country’s most vulnerable habitats or face a fine of €10 million in 2030. This year’s targets do not have to be met but the aim to reach a 50% reduction in five years time must be a reality, the court said, adding that the state had been negligent in not making reducing nitrogen-based pollution a priority. The case was brought by Greenpeace, which argues the Netherlands is not doing enough to protect the natural environment from the impact of excessive nitrogen. The case is a “last chance to save the most vulnerable habitats because if nitrogen emissions don’t go down, we risk losing unique plants and animals,” Greenpeace said at the court hearing last November. The campaign group wants to force the government to cut nitrogen emissions drastically and the courts to check the government’s approach to dealing with the problem against the European bird and habitat directives.
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I've no doubt the government will have the ruling overturned in a higher court, much like Shell did after it was told to slash its carbon footprint.