PBL: Netherlands at risk of missing 2030 climate targets
The Netherlands will not meet its crucial climate target in 2030 unless it takes more action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. PBL concludes in a report today.
Published on October 24, 2024
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According to the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (PBL), the Netherlands will not meet the 2030 climate targets if no further action is taken. Current measures will only reduce CO₂ emissions by 44 to 52% compared to 1990, far below the stated 55%. The new government has scrapped new road taxes and discontinued subsidies for solar panels, hampering progress. Delays in the development of offshore wind farms could also jeopardize the goal of climate-neutral power generation by 2035.
However, climate minister Sophie Hermans is promising additional measures in the second quarter of next year, stressing the government's determination to meet the 2030 and 2050 targets.
PBL warns that the 2030 climate goals will be unachievable without additional measures. The Netherlands must then reduce a further 24 megatonnes of CO₂ to have a realistic chance of meeting these goals. CO₂ emissions last year were 34% lower than in 1990, a 6% decrease from the previous year.
Delaying action puts targets at risk
PBL director Marko Hekkert emphasizes that postponing measures is making it increasingly difficult to meet climate targets. The chance that the Netherlands would meet the targets was already considered low last year and has become even lower. The PBL director points to the drop in energy prices, delays in constructing offshore wind farms and scaling up green hydrogen, and the rollback of carbon-saving measures as causes of the targets getting further out of sight.
The role of wind energy and renewable resources
The development of offshore wind farms is crucial to the energy transition in the Netherlands. Delays in these projects directly affect the capacity to generate clean energy. In addition, the scale-up of green hydrogen, an essential link for the industry and transportation sector, has lagged behind expectations. Both factors are essential for reducing dependence on fossil fuels and achieving climate goals.
According to PBL, significant investments in offshore wind farms and green hydrogen, for example, usually require a preparation time of five to ten years. Policies that take a long time to implement will fail to deliver in the remaining five years to 2030. The PBL, therefore, stresses the importance of implementing new policies immediately to meet the climate goals still.
Climate Minister Hermans responds to PBL report
In response to the PBL report, Climate Minister Sophie Hermans indicated that the government remains committed to the climate goals, including banning all carbon emissions by 2050. She acknowledged that more action is needed and promised to develop additional measures in the second quarter of next year. The government's determination to meet the 2030 and 2050 targets remains undiminished.