This document examines how to improve cycling conditions in the country over the period 2022-2025.

This document aims at showing the government's strategic focus on hydrogen as a key enabler of job creation, air quality improvement, transformation of the energy system and transition to low-carbon development. A corresponding policy agenda is set out around four pillars: legislation and regulation, cost reduction and scaling up green hydrogen, sustainability of final consumption, and supporting and flanking policy.<br><br>However, the European Commission notified the Dutch government that specific subsidies dealing with green hydrogen were not compatible with the union's rules.

This document describes the Netherlands' current and future policies to enable mitigation efforts in the country.

The National Energy and Climate (ENCP) Plan is a ten-year integrated document <a href="https://ec.europa.eu/energy/topics/energy-strategy/national-energy-climate-plans_en">mandated by the European Union</a> to each of its member states in order for the EU to meet its overall greenhouse gases emissions targets.&nbsp; The Energy and Climate Plan addresses all five dimensions of the EU Energy Union: decarbonisation, energy efficiency, energy security, internal energy markets and research, innovation and competitiveness.&nbsp;<br><br>The plan establishes the following objectives : 1) reduction of greenhouse gas emissions with renewable energy and energy saving; 2) combating climate change with a climate-neutral electricity system. The limited availability of renewable sources in the Netherlands is an important point of concern. Since the Netherlands is located along the coast and the wind is relatively strong, this offers potential for wind energy on land and offshore; 3) a transition to an emission-free mobility system that involves sustainable energy carriers (electricity, biofuels and green hydrogen); 4) homes and other building will be made more energy-efficient&nbsp; in a sustainable transformation of the built-up environment; 5) to promote a robust and sustainable agriculture which adopts a more efficient approach to raw materials and the environment.&nbsp;

This document sets the government's strategy in achieving a 49% reduction in CO2 emissions by 2030 compared to 1990 levels. It comes as a response to the <a href="https://climate-laws.org/cclow/geographies/netherlands/litigation_cases/urgenda-foundation-v-state-of-the-netherlands">Urgenda case</a> and in parallel to the <a href="https://climate-laws.org/cclow/geographies/netherlands/laws/climate-act-7e97c6bc-9baf-4ccc-be38-b8a1dbc5af08">Climate Act</a>. It details&nbsp; agreements made with the following sectors: electricity, industry, built environment, traffic and transport, and agriculture. The Agreement also introduces a carbon tax, applicable to industry and levied against emissions that exceed the EU ETS Benchmarks (after the deduction of a predefined reduction path). The tax applies to all installation in the EU ETS, as well as waste incinerators and large emitters of non-CO2 GhGs, such as N2). The CO2 tax levy will start at €30/t CO2 in 2021 and will increase each year by €10.56, up to a rate of €125/t CO2 in 2030.<br><br>The annual additional costs associated with the Climate Agreement are estimated to be less than 0.5% of GDP in 2030.

This emergency law contains rules to tackle nitrogen pollution in the country. This law was used by the government in order to reduce the <a href="https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/onderwerpen/verkeersregels/vraag-en-antwoord/wat-is-de-maximumsnelheid-voor-auto-s-op-de-snelweg">authorised daily speed limit</a> on all roads to 100 km/h, in order to reduce emissions of nitrogen oxides, but also to reduce the Netherlands' transport-sector CO2 emissions.

This law implements rules relating to the generation of electricity using coal, in order to organise an effective coal phase out by 2030. Article 2 states that it is prohibited to generate electricity in a production installation using coal. The law grants plants built in the 1990s up to 2025 to cease operations, while newer ones will have until 2030 to do so.&nbsp;<br><br>On December 22, 2021, the Dutch cabinet restricted emissions from coal-fired power stations by limiting their operations to no more than 35% of their maximum capacity. The government estimates it will result in a&nbsp; reduction in CO2 emissions at coal-fired power stations of approximately 6-7 megatons "in the short term". The amendment to the Coal Act came into effect on 1 January 2022 and will apply until the end of 2024.

The Climate Act sets legally binding greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction targets for the Netherlands. Specifically, it mandates the government to reduce its total GHG emissions by 95%, compared with a 1990 baseline, in the long run and achieve carbon neutrality in the electricity sector by 2050. It also requires the government to reduce its emissions by 49% by 2030 in the medium run. Lastly, the laws contains provisions for developing an implementation plan, measuring progress, and monitoring compliance and accountability.

<div>This Act is designed to protect the country from risks associated with sea level rise, soil subsidence, drier periods and extreme rainfall. It establishes the following (so-called 5 Dutch Ds together with the Delta Act):</div><ul><li>Delta Programme</li><li>Delta Fund</li><li>Delta Commissioner</li><li>Delta Decisions</li></ul><div>&nbsp;<br>&nbsp;The Delta Programme (DP) aims to secure water and freshwater supply in sustainable manner by 2050, in order to adapt to potential extreme weathers in the future. The Act stipulates that a Delta Programme is created every year: it is presented to the Parliament annually on Prinsjesdag, the state opening of Parliament in September. Delta Programmes should contain the following:</div><ul><li>Plans to ensure sufficient supply of fresh water</li><li>Plans to protect the country from high water</li><li>Time schedule of the Programme</li><li>Overview of Programme cost</li></ul><div>&nbsp;<br>&nbsp;DP2011 was the first to be created and DP2015 was submitted to the Parliament in 2014 for adoption. DP2015 focuses on disaster prevention and new approaches include:</div><ul><li>New water safety standards</li><li>Predicting availability of fresh water for agriculture, industry and nature</li><li>Climate-proof and water-robust spatial planning</li></ul><div>&nbsp;<br>&nbsp;Delta Fund provides the financial foundation to plan and operate the Delta Programme, with the budget allocated by the Cabinet. The Delta Commissioner is in charge of the Delta Programme. The Commissioner is responsible for:</div><ul><li>Makes and submits an annual proposal of the Delta Programme to co-ordinating members and other members of the administration involved with the Programme</li><li>Promotes consultation with stakeholders (administrative bodies, business community and civil society organizations) and bring involved parties together horizontally (within the Kingdom) and vertically (between various tiers of government)</li><li>Monitors, reports and advises co-ordinating member and members of administration on the implementation progress of the Delta Programme.</li></ul><div>&nbsp;The final political responsibility of the Delta Programme lies with the co-ordinating Minister of the Infrastructure and the Environment, to whom the Delta Commissioner reports.<br>&nbsp;<br>&nbsp;Sub-programmes of the Delta Programme have led to the five Delta Decisions that sets out preferred strategies for the focused areas. The 2014 proposal of the Delta Decisions are:</div><ul><li>Delta Decision on Water Safety (focuses on new water safety standard)</li><li>Delta Decision on Fresh Water (modification to water system)</li><li>Delta Decision on Spatial Adaptation (more water-robust and climate-proof spatial design and (re)development)</li><li>Delta Decision on the Rhine-Meuse Delta (water distribution from the Rhine)</li><li>Delta Decision on the IJsselmeer region (freshwater supply, discharges into the Wadden Sea and water level of the IJsselmeer, Markermeer and Randmeren</li></ul>

This bill was introduced in March 2010 to promote economic recovery after the financial crisis. Its main instruments focus on accelerating decision-making processes and administrative court proceedings on various activities beneficial to economic growth and employment, especially in sustainability, green energy and innovation. These include construction of housing, wind farms, small scale wind turbines, as well as innovative energy neutral floating ‘eco-home' and others. One of the core objectives of the Act is to ensure that court proceedings against any decision implementing a project mentioned in the Annexes are conducted as efficiently and swiftly as possible, thus promoting an earlier realisation of the relevant projects.

Netherlands. National Communication (NC). NC 8. Biennial Reports (BR). BR 5., Biennial Report,National Communication from Netherlands in 2022

Netherlands. 2022 National Inventory Report (NIR), National Inventory Report from Netherlands in 2022

Netherlands's Adaptation communication, Adaptation Communication from Netherlands in 2021

Netherlands. 2021 National Inventory Report (NIR), National Inventory Report from Netherlands in 2021

Long term strategy on climate mitigation, Long-Term Low-Emission Development Strategy from Netherlands in 2020

Climate Act

Climate Act adopted by the Senate

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CO2 neutral electricity production by 2050

49% GHG emissions reduction by 2030 compared to 1990 levels

95% GHG emissions reductions by 2050 compared to 1990 levels

Achieve carbon neutrality in the electricity sector by 2050

Reduce emissions by 49% by 2030 and 95% by 2050, compared with a 1990 baseline

Climate Act

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