The Dutch Renewable Energy Association (NVDE) is conducting an online campaign with dozens of companies during the House of Representatives debate on Interdepartmental Climate Policy Research (IBO). The report contains recommendations for policymakers to meet the 2030 climate targets. “But according to our calculations we will not meet this target,” says NVDE director Olof van der Gaag. “That’s why we need a big shovel on top.”
During the NVDE social media campaign, companies can choose which recommendations from the IBO report they would like to implement themselves. ‘There are about a hundred in the report,’ says Van der Gaag, ‘so it would be a bit much to ask to do them all. But if all together we create a sum of all these measures, then the accounts add up.’
With this action, the NVDE wants to demonstrate to politicians that companies are willing to contribute to climate goals. From 2030, at least 55 percent less CO2 must be emitted in the Netherlands and, if it depends on the coalition, it should be even 60 percent. But according to Van der Gaag, that won’t work if enough measures aren’t taken. “So we arrive at a CO2 reduction of only 45 percent.”
“We also need to become more independent of fossil energy from dubious countries like Russia.”
According to Van der Gaag, companies would like to implement the recommendations but must be given the space to do so. “Politicians will have to lay the foundations for it to happen,” says the director. “For example, there needs to be a good electrical grid to charge electric trucks and run heat pumps.”
In addition to the preconditions, Van der Gaag is also hoping for sufficient subsidies from The Hague. “A climate fund was agreed in the coalition agreement, so I also hope that, in addition to strict obligations, they also use subsidies to make it affordable.”
Incidentally, Van der Gaag is not only concerned with meeting climate goals: “We also need to become more independent of fossil energy than dubious countries like Russia.”
Source: BNR
Fernando Dowling is an author and political journalist who writes for 24 News Globe. He has a deep understanding of the political landscape and a passion for analyzing the latest political trends and news.
