The European Commission approved the Dutch government’s plan to buy out some farmers in an effort to reduce nitrogen emissions and safeguard nature.
(Bloomberg) — The European Commission approved the Dutch government’s plan to buy out some farmers in an effort to reduce nitrogen emissions and safeguard nature.
The Dutch government earmarked a total of €1.47 billion ($1.6 billion) to buy out hundreds of farms near nature reserves and compensate the losses of farmers who decide to shut down their enterprises. The plan aims quell the fury of Dutch farmers over its goal of halving nitrogen emissions by 2030.
For months, the Netherlands has been engulfed by farmer protests after the government presented a nitrogen reduction target based on European Union regulations in June last year.
The Netherlands is one the world’s largest exporters of agricultural products, with estimated exports of €122.3 billion ($134 billion) in 2022, according to Wageningen University. Cattle and fertilizers are key sources of nitrogen emissions.
Severe measures are needed to safeguard nature, Dutch Minister for Nature and Nitrogen Policy Christianne van der Wal-Zeggelink told Bloomberg in December. “Dutch nature is in a really bad state,” she said.
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