The Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (PBL) released a report Friday which indicates the country will likely miss its own climate change targets.
Specifically, the main environmental advisory body reports that the Netherlands will fall short of its goal to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 25% in 2020 compared to 1990. C02 emissions were down only 15% last year and this figure is not expected to be higher than 23% in 2020.
Additionally, the Netherlands will also likely fail to meet its national climate agreement target to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 49% in 2030 when compared with 1990, according to PBL.
The government reports that its share of renewable energy is expected to increase by 70% between 2017 and 2020, adding, “With this acceleration, the Netherlands will achieve its climate target for 2023, but not the target for 2020.”
In July, the government presented measures to reach its climate goals which strive toward making the Dutch economy almost totally carbon neutral by 2050. These measures include an emissions tax, subsidies stimulating home insulation, the prohibition of coal fired power plants and a push for sustainable energy sources such as solar and wind powered energy. These plans are not yet implemented and according to Reuters, “many details remain unclear.”
The government announced extra measures designed to entice individuals and companies into participating in climate friendly measures including a renewable energy subsidy and an additional €60 million in subsidies toward the purchase of heat pumps and solar broilers. The government reports its desires to “speed up the installation of solar panels on government buildings, schools and private individuals.” Further, the government states that it “continues to actively look for measures to achieve the goals for 2020.”
Eric Wiebes, Minister of Economic Affairs and Climate, published a letter offering the first Climate and Energy Survey (KEV) 2019 to the Lower House, which notes that there is “still work to be done to achieve all climate goals.”
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