National Climate Agenda: Resilient, Prosperous and Green

Climate Agenda:
resilient, prosperous and green
Summary

Summary
Outlook
The climate is changing. The effects of climate change are becoming on the horizon of 2030. Rather than setting out a raft of concrete
increasingly noticeable and they will intensify still further in the actions, this agenda defines concrete goals and ambitions for
years ahead. Extreme weather now occurs more often than in 2030 and explores and paves the way for the next steps towards
the past, necessitating water control measures, for example, while 2030 and 2050.
plans to combat hot weather have to be invoked earlier. But climate
change has wider ramifications: it affects our health, infrastructure, There is a need for perseverance in conducting a strong and
homes and food production. These phenomena affect all sectors of consistent approach to the climate, both globally and nationally,
the economy and society. They threaten our prosperity and impact in order to ensure a sustainably prosperous economy and to equip
on international safety and welfare distribution. To keep the risks society sufficiently to deal with climate changes. The only way to
within acceptable levels the world’s leaders have given a commit- tackle climate change worldwide with the greatest effectiveness
ment to limit the rise in the average temperature to not more than and to curb the average temperature on Earth is by all countries
two degrees. There are widespread concerns about climate change: and their inhabitants jointly reducing greenhouse gas emissions
in the Lower House of Parliament, in the business world and in and making the economy greener. A solid approach will yield
the community at large. By cooperating we can turn the threats into opportunities for the Dutch economy and thus jobs. After all,
new prospects and achieve a more solid growth of global prosperity there is a growing global demand for smart, clean and economical
and welfare. For that reason the Cabinet is pursuing an ambitious technologies as solutions to the consequences of climate change.
international climate policy. This is where we want to be a front-runner. We can already see that
Dutch companies are doing business in a climate-intelligent way
Swift international action is required to curb greenhouse gas and thus opening up new niches and markets. Internationally, the
emissions and the accompanying climate change and to prepare our Dutch water sector is working with great success on total solutions
human environment for climate change. Europe and the Netherlands for mitigating flood risks, while the Netherlands is European
can play a positive role both through international cooperation champion in recycling and Rotterdam and Schiphol are carving
and by setting a good example. It calls for an investment of effort. a reputation as a sustainable seaport and airport, respectively.
Acting quickly now will reduce the climate problem in the future
and make it affordable. Therefore, we are now putting forward a This agenda outlines a climate approach focused on assembling
Climate Agenda for mitigation and adaptation. The sooner we start, a broadly-based coalition for climate measures and on a combined
the better able we will be to factor climate stability into plans and approach to climate adaptation (by designing a resilient physical
maintenance programmes for roads and cities and to get the job environment and preparing society for the consequences of climate
done. And it is important to be ready on time by issuing a powerful change) and mitigation (by reducing greenhouse gas emissions).
message in the EU and globally so as to steer decision-making in
the right direction. To do this we are now focussing on a new dot
Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment Climate Agenda: resilient, prosperous and green |2

Solution networks). At the same time it will allow better utilisation of
the positive effects (longer growing season and more favourable
A broadly-based coalition conditions for recreation and tourism). But we can only do this
A broadly-based coalition of stakeholders in the international if we know exactly what we are talking about. For that reason the
community is the only way to create proper solutions and assure Cabinet is stimulating the performance of risk analyses at local level
that the Netherlands is resilient, prosperous and green. The Cabinet as a stepping-stone towards preparing local adaptation strategies.
wants to make optimum use of the energy of parties that want The Netherlands Court of Audit has pointed out that in addition
to get to grips with the climate problem. This is why the national to water there are other fields that are vulnerable to climate change
government is striving for concrete solutions in association with the but that are not yet covered sufficiently by policy. If measures
national/international business community, national/international are taken late, they will cost a lot more. With this in mind the
umbrella organisations of cities, local authorities, NGOs, academia Cabinet has adopted the recommendations of the Court of Audit