The Netherlands is already affected by climate change. The average temperature in the Netherlands rose by more than 2 °C from 1901 to 2020.[1] Climate change has resulted in increased frequency of droughts and heatwaves. Because significant portions of the Netherlands have been reclaimed from the sea or otherwise are very near sea level, the Netherlands is very vulnerable to sea level rise.
The Netherlands has the fourth largest greenhouse gas emissions per capita of the European Union,[2] in part due to the large number of cows.[3] The Dutch government has set goals to lower emissions in the next few decades. The Dutch response to climate change is driven by a number of unique factors, including larger green recovery plans by the European Union in the face of the COVID-19 and a climate change litigation case, State of the Netherlands v. Urgenda Foundation, which created mandatory climate change mitigation through emissions reductions 25% below 1990 levels.[4][5] In 2021 CO2 emissions were down 14% compared to 1990 levels.[6] The goal of the Dutch government is to reduce emissions in 2030 by 49%.[7]
- ^ Koninklijk Nederlands Meteorologisch Instituut (2021). Klimaatsignaal 21: hoe het klimaat in Nederland snel verandert (PDF) (in Dutch). De Bilt: KNMI. p. 11.
- ^ "EEA greenhouse gases — data viewer — European Environment Agency". European Environment Agency. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
- ^ "The cucumber Saudis: how the Dutch got too good at farming". The Economist. ISSN 0013-0613. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
- ^ "Netherlands climate change: Court orders bigger cuts in emissions". BBC. 20 December 2019.
- ^ "Activists cheer victory in landmark Dutch climate case". Associated Press. 20 December 2019.
- ^ Statistiek, Centraal Bureau voor de. "Hoe groot is onze broeikasgasuitstoot?". Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek (in Dutch). Retrieved 9 July 2023.
- ^ "Long-term strategy on climate mitigation - The Netherlands" (PDF). unfccc. 2019. Retrieved 16 May 2021.