Dutch state ordered to get to work immediately to reduce nitrogen emissions in most vulnerable nature areas
The Hague, 22 January 2025 – The verdict has been delivered in the case brought by Greenpeace Netherlands against the Dutch government for its inadequate measures to reduce nitrogen levels in the Netherlands. The court ruled that natural habitats in the Netherlands have been proven to have deteriorated, and the State must comply with its own law. That means the State must bring 50% of nitrogen-sensitive nature below the relevant Critical Load by 2030, prioritising the most urgent natural habitat types.

Greenpeace employees stand in front of the Palace of Justice in The Hague holding a banner reading ‘No Future Without Nature’ and green signs reading ‘Protect our nature’.
Greenpeace Netherlands Executive Director Andy Palmen:
‘This ruling is a celebration for nature, finally there is clarity. The State has repeatedly delayed taking measures, leaving society as a whole, but also farmers and businesses, hanging in the balance. It has waited so long that the court has now intervened. The celebration is bittersweet, however, as it should not have taken a court intervention to achieve.
As a result of the systematic ignoring of the nitrogen problem, nature has continued to deteriorate in recent years, and this is ultimately a problem for all of us. The government has wasted precious time and failed to take necessary steps. As a result of not making choices, urgent measures must now be taken. We expect the government to finally take responsibility in its action plan and ensure that all relevant sectors, including agriculture, traffic, aviation and industry, make a fair contribution. The government will have to come up with proposals that will finally give farmers clarity and support them in a fair way in the necessary transition to ecological agriculture.’
It is now up to the government to act on this verdict and come up with measures to reduce nitrogen deposition on the most vulnerable nature before the end of 2030. Greenpeace argues that farmers who are already operating sustainably, like organic farmers, should be protected, and farmers who want to make the transition, should be helped.
Greenpeace started the ground proceedings against the government in July 2023. This lawsuit is supported by Caring Farmers, Stichting Demeter, and the Federation of Agroecological Farmers. Together, they represent thousands of ‘green farmers’. Other supporters of the lawsuit are Caring Vets, Caring Doctors, MOB, Milieudefensie, Vogelbescherming Nederland, WWF, SoortenNL and Stichting Natuurbeschermingswacht.