Air pollution - National Responses (Netherlands)

National emission reduction policies include (status January 2010):

-          Tightening emission standards for industry for installations with a capacity of 1 MW_th and larger.

-          Reducing emissions for the larger installations that fall under the national NO_x-trading system, from 40 g NO_x per Giga Joule primary energy use in 2010 to 37 g/GJ in 2013.

-          Covenants with the energy sector and refineries to limit their SO₂-emissions to a maximum of 13,5 and 14,5 kilotonnes from 2010 onwards.

-          Action plan to reduce particulate matter in industry.

-          Subsidies and fiscal incentives to stimulate cleaner transport, such as retro-fit soot filters and lowering purchase tax for cleaner cars.

-          Introduction of a national road pricing system for both heavy duty vehicles and passenger cars, starting not before 2012.

-          Subsidies for scrapping old passenger cars.

-          Subsidies for placement of air scrubbers on large poultry stables.

The Dutch National Air Quality Cooperation Programme (NSL) entered into force on 1 August 2009. The programme aims to comply with the limit values for PM10 and NO₂, before the end of the derogation period (2011 for PM10, and 2015 for NO₂ (2013 for agglomeration Heerlen/Kerkrade). In addition to the general measures listed above, this programme also includes many local measures. Examples are ‘environmental zones’ in ten large cities in the Netherlands which may not be entered by trucks that do not comply with the Euro-2 standard or higher, and stimulating clean public transport. The programme is available at:

http://www.vrom.nl/Docs/publicaties/w1273.pdf