The planet is heating up and world leaders are discussing a treaty in Paris this week to do something about it. However, just a few days before the Conference of Parties in Paris started, two Dutch politicians wanted to send a signal, that they do not believe enough is done, and more should be done. What? Fractievoorzitters (party leaders) Jesse Klaver (GroenLinks – the left greens) and Diederik Samsom (PvdA – the socialist workers party) proposed a pre-draft for a binding Climate Act. A what???
De Klimaatwet
Klaver and Samsom have the idea for a klimaatwet (Climate Act), which they proposed two weeks ago, on November 23. Like the begroting (budget), they want climate to be an issue on the government’s agenda. The proposal for this new law sets ambitious objectives: in 2050, the Netherlands should run 100% on renewable energy. Also in that year, the amount of broeikasgassen (greenhouse gasses) should be cut by 95% against 1990. In 2030, this percentage should be at 55%.
The klimaatbegroting (climate budget) would be presented alongside the normal, financial begroting at Prinsjesdag. A more general klimaatplan (climate plan) with objectives for 5 years would be made, like the miljoenennota, with goals presented every year in the klimaatbegroting which should lead to achieving the main objectives set out in the klimaatplan.
As it is a law, it would bind the government legally to perform this. That makes it powerful.
Check out how Klaver and Samsom proposed the idea in TV show Pauw:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_T0ZEQvhdG8
The Act as it was published now is a voorontwerp, a pre-draft. It still needs to be reviewed, counseled and worked on a lot, even before it is introduced to the Dutch Parliament, which will ultimately vote on the proposal. You can read the pre-draft here, with an explanatory memorandum here. It is in Dutch – so good practice!
The law is estimated to be proposed formally in the Tweede kamer https://blogs.transparent.com/dutch/dutch-political-system-in-a-nutshell/
Is it liked?
So far, it seems that the Dutch like the idea of more action to cut the amount of broeikasgassen by 95% in 2050. In a peiling (poll), almost two-thirds of the questioned said they want to see more overheidsbeleid (government policies) to attain that goal.
What about the politicians?
55% said that they worried about the environment – so a majority for action, one could say. But is this Klimaatwet the right way?
According to the VVD (the party for freedom and democracy), the leading party in Dutch polls and currently in the government, these plans are not a good idea. Stricter rules than the rest of the world would lead companies to leave the Netherlands and produce elsewhere, where the restrictions are not as high as in the Netherlands as a result of this klimaatwet. Thus, a view that puts more emphasis on the economy than on a hard line climate beleid. As fractievoorzitter Halbe Zijlstra put it: Nederland wordt armer, en de wereld nog steeds warmer. (The Netherlands get poorer, but the world will still get warmer).
The fractievoorzitters of the PVV (the party for freedom, a more populist party), Geert Wilders and of the CDA (the Christian-Democrats), Sybrand Buma are also not in favor. They fear such a law to be too expensive, and that laws by individual countries will not work – which is the reason for the climate summit in Paris.
However, there is a majority that supports the idea for such a klimaatwet. SP, SGP, D66, GroenLinks, ChristenUnie, PvdD are all wel in favor of it. Where is the PvdA, the party of Samsom? 60% of that party like the law, even 70% thinks that the current government (which the PvdA is part of) should have done more for such klimaatbeleid (climate policy).
Image by GroenLinks at Groenlinks.nl
What do you think?
I personally believe that it is. More pressure on the government to go sustainable is necessary. There is more at stake than just some euros. This is about life and the world we all share and live in, which is why nobody really takes responsibility. So this is a great start and could be a great example for other countries, I think!
Now, what do you think? Is such a Climate Act the right way to go? Or do you have other ways in mind?
Let me know in the comments!
