Netherlands: Polluters protest against regulations

Dutch farmers and fishermen block roads to protest against new emissions regulations

Dutch farmers have launched days of protests across the Netherlands, for example by blocking supermarket distribution centres in several cities.

They are angered by the government's plans, which require them to use less fertiliser and reduce livestock numbers. Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport and KLM, the Dutch subsidiary of Air France, advised travellers to use public transport rather than drive to the airport, as farmer activist groups announced on social media that they intended to block roads with tractors.

Several traffic jams were reported on motorways in the east of the country and on ferry routes in the north, but none near Schiphol during the morning rush hour.

Why are farmers in the Netherlands angry?

At the heart of the protests are the targets introduced last month to halve harmful nitrogen compounds by 2030. This is the latest attempt to get to grips with a problem that has been plaguing the country for years.

The government believes that emissions of nitrogen oxides and ammonia, produced by livestock farming, must be drastically reduced – particularly near a protected network of habitats for endangered species that extends across the entire EU.

The reforms are expected to involve a reduction in livestock numbers and the buyout of some farms whose animals produce large quantities of ammonia.

Farmers argue that they are being unfairly targeted, leaving them with little hope for the future of their profession.

Why does the Netherlands need to reduce its nitrogen emissions?

The government considers it necessary to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions from livestock manure and from the use of ammonia in fertilizers. It estimates that a 30 percent reduction in livestock numbers will be required.

The intensive farming of cows, pigs, and other animals has made the Netherlands the largest emitter of these substances in Europe. The construction industry and road traffic also contribute to the problem.

Dutch and European courts have called on the Dutch government to address the issue. Farmers believe they are being unfairly disadvantaged and have criticized the government's approach.

Fishermen join Dutch farmers in protests

Dutch fishermen have joined farmers in protesting against nitrogen emission targets. In Harlingen, they blocked the harbor with trawlers, preventing ferries to the islands of Terschelling and Vlieland from departing for several hours.

Crab fishermen in particular fear that the government's emission targets will put them in serious difficulty.

Starting next year, they will be required to apply for new fishing licenses. Without the necessary modifications to their trawlers, these licenses could be denied — meaning they would no longer be permitted to carry out their work.