Netherlands
Netherlands Country Profile (World Bank)
Status under International Climate Change Law
- UNFCCC: signature (June 4, 1992) and ratification (December 20, 1993)
- KP: signature (April 29, 1998) and ratification (May 31, 2002)
- Quantified emission limitation or reduction commitment: – 6%
- Vienna Convention: signature (March 22, 1985) and ratification (September 28, 1988)
- Montreal Protocol: signature (September 16, 1987) and ratification (December 16, 1988)
- LRTAP: signature (November 13, 1979) and ratification (July 5, 1982)
- Energy Charter: signature (December 17, 1994) and ratification (December 16, 1997)
- Energy Efficiency Protocol: signature (December 17, 1994) and ratification (December 16, 1997)
- Espoo Convention: signature (February 25, 1991) and ratification (February 28, 1995)
- 2030 Commitment: 40% domestic reduction in emissions below 1990 levels by 2030, to be fulfilled jointly by European Union member states (14% reduction in domestic emissions below 2005 levels by 2020, in accordance with Decision No. 406/2009/EC of the European Parliament and Council)
- INDC summary – includes LULUCF and gases covered (Center for Climate and Energy Solutions 2015)
- INDC summary – includes adaptation and conditions for implementation (Climate Policy Observer 2016)
National Laws on Climate Change
Climate
- Environmental Management Act (1979) [Wet Milieubeheer] [Dutch]
- Decree on Monitoring Greenhouse Gases (2005) [Besluit inventarisatie broeikasgassen] [Dutch]
Air protection
- Air Pollution Act (1970) [Wet inzake de luchtverontreiniging] [Dutch]
Energy
- Electricity Act (1998) [Elektriciteitswet 1998] [Dutch]
- Gas Act (2000) [Gaswet] [Dutch]
- Mining Act (2002) [Mijnbouwwet] [Dutch]
- Act on Implementation of EU-Directives on energy-efficiency (2011) [Wet implementatie EU-richtlijnen energie-efficiëntie] [Dutch]
Forests and Land Use
- Spatial Planning Act (2006) [Wet ruimtelijke ordening] [Dutch]
- Crisis and Recovery Act (2010) [Crisis- en herstelwet] [Dutch]
Environmental Impact Assessment
- Environmental Management Act (1979) [Wet Milieubeheer] [Dutch]
- Decree on Environmental Impact Assessment (1994) [Besluit milieueffectrapportage] [Dutch]
Others
- General Ambient Law Act (2008) [Wet algemene bepalingen omgevingsrecht] [Dutch]
- Water Act (2009) [Waterwet] [Dutch]
- Delta Act (2011) [Deltawet waterveiligheid en zoetwatervoorziening] [Dutch]
- Nature Protection Act (1998) [Natuurbeschermingswet 1998] [Dutch]
- Flora and Fauna Act (1998) [Flora- en faunawet] [Dutch]
National Plans, Programs and Initiatives
- Broeikasgasemissies – National Inventory Entity (NIE) (Netherlands Enterprise Agency) [Dutch]
- Delta Programme 2014. Working on the Delta (Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment & Ministry of Economic Affairs) (2013) [English]
- Energy Agreement for Sustainable Growth (SER) 2013) [English]
- Netherlands National Climate Change Research Programme [Dutch]
Local and Regional Legislation and Initiatives
- Rotterdam Climate Initiative
- European Union Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC) (2015)
- EU Adaptation Strategy Package (European Commission)
- European Climate Adaptation Platform (Climate ADAPT)
- 2020 Climate & Energy Package (European Commission) (2007)
- Decision No. 406/2009/EC of the European Parliament and Council of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 April 2009 on the effort of Member States to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions to meet the Community’s greenhouse gas emission reduction commitments up to 2020 (European Parliament and Council) (2009)
- Directive 2010/31/EU of The European Parlaiment and of The Council of 19 May 2010 on the energy performance of buildings (European Parliament and Council) (2010)
- Directive 2012/27/EU of The European Parlaiment and of The Council of 25 October 2012 on energy efficiency(European Parliament and Council) (2012)
- European Union Trading Scheme (EU ETS) (European Commission)
Government Documents
- Fifth Netherlands’ National Communication under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment) (2009) [English]
- Klimaatagenda: weerbaar, welvarend en groen (Ministerie van Infrastructuur en Milieu) (2013) [Dutch]
- 2014 Annex I Party GHG Inventory Submissions
- National Inventory Report (2014) [English]
- Common Reporting Format (2014) [English]
- Sixth National Communication under the UNFCCC (2013) [English]
- Second Biennial Report to the UNFCCC (2015) [English]
Additional Resources
- Climate change – The Netherlands (Climate Change Post)
- The Netherlands Climate change impacts on water systems (OECD Secretariat) (2013)
- The Netherlands (Europe’s Energy Portal)
- EU Country Profile (Climate Action Tracker) (2015)
- The effects of Climate Change in the Netherlands: 2012 (W. Ligtvoet et al., PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency) (2013)
- Publications:
- E.H.P. Brans et al, Naar aansprakelijkheid voor (de gevolgen van) klimaatverandering?, Den Haag: Boom Juridische Uitgevers (2012) (in Dutch).
- M. Peeters, Climate Law in The Netherlands: The Search towards a National Legislative Framework for a Global Problem, 14 Electronic Journal of Comparative Law (2010).
- Handboek Implementatie milieubeleid EU in Nederland (in Dutch).
- M.G.W.M. Peeters & H.D. van Asselt, Klimaatwetgeving in Nederland. Stand van zaken anno 2010, STEM (2010) (in Dutch)
- P.P.J. Driessen et al., Beleids-en rechtswetenschappelijke aspecten van klimaatadaptatie, Den Haag: Ministerie van Infrastructuur en Milieu (2011) (in Dutch).
- P. P. J. Driessen, F. De Pater & T. Spit (eds.), Klimaatverandering en ruimtelijke ordening: verkenning van onderzoeksthema’s, Wageningen: Programmabureau Klimaat voor Ruimte (2008) (in Dutch).