The Dutch government on Wednesday unveiled a package of measures totalling €28 billion to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and combat climate change.
The measures, which include clean energy and electric vehicle initiatives, are intended to enable the country to meet its target of reducing CO2 emissions by 55% by 2030 from 1990 levels.
“It is inevitable that our country, our landscape and our economy will change,” commented Rob Jetten, minister for climate and energy, presenting the measures at a press conference in The Hague.
“We are working to achieve a carbon-neutral circular economy by 2050,” he noted. “To do that, we need to really get rid of fossil fuels and we need to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions.”
He presented no fewer than 120 measures, including the closure of all gas and coal-fired power plants by 2035, subsidies for the purchase of second-hand electric vehicles and a €65 million research funding package for building smaller nuclear plants.
The Dutch authorities had already announced the construction of two nuclear power plants in the south of the country by 2035.
According to the minister, the likely rise in oil prices in the next few years will encourage more motorists to opt for electric vehicles.
The government has therefore earmarked €600 million to subsidise the purchase of second-hand electric vehicles and to increase the number of battery charging sites.
