The Schiphol Group has bought out a number of livestock farmers to own sufficient space and hence nitrogen emission rights to continue operating Schiphol and Lelystad Airport.
In order to comply with the nitrogen regulations newly in force, the owner of Schiphol and Lelystan airports bought out a number of farmers in North and Holland, Utrecht as well as Naardermeer and the Veluwe, EenVandaag reported.
Back in mid-June, the Dutch cabinet announced plans to slash nitrogen emissions by 50% – rising to 70% in some areas – by 2030 as per EU regulations on nitrate pollution, which, in practice, would force many livestock farms either to downsize or close altogether.
In an effort to comply with the regulations themselves, companies are now reaching out to livestock farmers to buy up ’nitrogen space’ and obtain sufficient nitrogen emission rights. The practice is causing a backlash both from farmers and the government, which maintains it has first purchase rights.
Last month, government agency Rijkswaterstaat partially bought out six farmers in the Veluwe region, in the province of Gelderland to improve a local ring road.
This move caused a lot of tension amongst parties, as GroenLinks called it a “nitrogen robbery” and the People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) said it fears that Gelderland will be abused as a ‘wingewest’ (conquered land) for nitrogen space, de Volkskrant reported.
Some lawmakers have also expressed their opposition to the group’s move.
“For all parties who are furious about the fact that Schiphol is buying up farms: tomorrow we will vote on this motion,” tweeted GroenLinks MP Suzanne Kröger.
(Sofia Stuart Leeson | EURACTIV.com)
Source: euractiv.com
