Climate Agreement (Klimaatakkoord)
The Climate Agreement is a Dutch government initiative that aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and accelerate the transition to a sustainable and climate-neutral society. The agreement was drawn up in response to the urgency of climate change and the obligations arising from the Paris Climate Agreement, in which countries worldwide have agreed to limit global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial levels. The Dutch Climate Agreement, officially known as the "Climate Agreement for Sustainable Growth", was established in 2019 after extensive negotiations between the Dutch government, civil society organisations, companies and other stakeholders. It contains a wide range of measures and targets to reduce CO2 emissions and promote the transition to a more sustainable economy.
Some important elements of the Dutch Climate Agreement are:
Energy: The agreement aims to significantly reduce CO2 emissions in the energy supply through the expansion of renewable energy sources such as solar energy and wind energy, the closure of coal-fired power plants and the improvement of energy efficiency.
Mobility: Measures are being taken to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the transport sector, such as the promotion of electric vehicles, the improvement of public transport and the promotion of bicycle use.
Built environment: The Climate Agreement contains plans to make buildings more energy efficient and sustainable, including the insulation of homes and the transition to natural gas-free heating systems.
Industry: Steps are being taken to reduce emissions from industry, for example by promoting innovation and the use of low-carbon technologies.
Agriculture and land use: The agreement contains measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture and to increase the storage of carbon in soils and forests.
The Dutch Climate Agreement is intended as a long-term strategy to make the Netherlands climate neutral by 2050. It includes concrete objectives and measurable results to track progress. Implementing the measures from the agreement requires cooperation between the government, the business community, civil society organizations and citizens in order to realize the transition to a more sustainable society.
Read more about the Climate Agreement here.
Doanload the Climate Agreement here.
Glastuinbouw Nederland is the leading entrepreneurial network in the Dutch greenhouse horticulture sector. In 2017, Glastuinbouw Nederland created a plan for Climate Neutral Greenhouse Horticulture (update 2023) which formed the basis and starting point for the Climate Agreement.
The government is making 250 million euros available up to and including 2030 for the acceleration and intensification of the Kas als Energiebron programm, the joint energy transition program with the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality. An area approach has been established via the Climate and Horticulture Agreement, which will shape the translation of national policy into implementation in regions, clusters and on companies, including modernization of the area.
Impact on greenhouse horticulture
The government wants to accelerate a climate neutral make greenhouse horticulture in the Netherlands, namelijk in 2040. For this purpose, the goverenemt uses financial 'incentives' for growers such as subsidies and tax measures. As a result, greenhouse horticulture is moving faster than agreed earlier. In 2030 this will lead already to an emission reduction of 4.3 to 4.8 million tons of CO2.
According to the Coalition Agreement, all sectors must contribute to the stricter emission reduction of 60% in 2030 but the greenhouse horticulture sector is regarded as becoming the leader. For this growers need clarity for the future in order to make investments that are also profitable in the long term.
Greenhouse horticulture will be faced with lower ODE rates (sustainable energy and climate transition surcharge), an increase in tax on gas and a reduction in tax on electricity, and the abolition of the reduced rate for energy tax for large-scale consumers as of 2025. The subsidy schemes include the Market Introduction of Energy Innovations for Greenhouse Horticulture (MEI) and Energy Efficiency for Greenhouse Horticulture (EG), which are being redrafted. In the Climate Fund, greenhouse horticulture can collaborate with industry and the built environment by, for example, linking residual heat. There will also be a subsidy for collective heating systems and there will be room in the SDE++ subsidy scheme for more geothermal heat.