Coalition pushes extra climate measures back to spring
The government wants to implement existing policy first and decide later which additional steps are needed.
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D66, VVD and CDA are sticking to the agreed climate course, while additional measures are not expected until next spring. That delay comes despite warnings from the planning agencies that the Netherlands is not on course to meet its climate targets.
Prime Minister Rob Jetten said in August that the government must take additional climate measures next spring based on an up-to-date climate analysis. Until then, he said, the emphasis will be on implementing existing policy, such as expanding offshore wind power, further growing solar energy and tackling grid congestion.
The announcement does not mean that the government is formally abandoning the climate targets. The coalition agreement says that the 2030 target will be difficult to achieve, but that the ambition remains in place. The coalition also wants to work towards the 2040 and 2050 targets through European policy.
The timing is politically sensitive. In a joint reflection on Prinsjesdag, CPB, SCP and PBL concluded that the Netherlands is not on course despite additional climate spending. According to PBL, postponement makes the future task greater and more expensive. The planning agency also pointed to insufficient preparation for heat, drought and waterlogging.
The government says implementation is a precondition for new measures. Problems with permitting, nitrogen and the electricity grid can slow the transition to sustainability. From that perspective, existing plans must first be implemented and bottlenecks resolved before new obligations or costs are announced.
Opponents see this as a risk. If additional policy is delayed while emissions reductions fall short, a more onerous package may be needed later. That could lead to higher costs for households and businesses, or to measures that have to be introduced under greater time pressure.
The new climate analysis must therefore show not only how much emissions current policy reduces, but also which assumptions about implementation and behaviour remain sustainable. The coalition has not yet presented a concrete package of additional measures. As a result, it remains uncertain for now which sectors will face additional demands and how the costs will be shared.
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- The government wants to implement previously agreed climate policy first.
- Additional measures are linked to an analysis expected in the spring.
- CPB, SCP and PBL say that the Netherlands is not on course to meet its climate targets.
- The coalition agreement maintains the climate ambition but acknowledges that 2030 will be difficult.
Left
Arguments The climate shortfall calls for additional binding measures now, particularly for major emitters. Waiting increases the likelihood that tougher interventions will be needed later.
Values Climate justice, responsibility towards future generations and protection of vulnerable groups.
Consequences Faster policy may bring costs and resistance, but according to this approach it prevents greater damage and higher spending later.
Centre
Arguments It must first become clear which existing measures are feasible and what effect they have. An additional package can then be selected in a targeted and evidence-based way.
Values Reliable government, feasibility and a stable investment climate.
Consequences Phased policy can broaden support, but the spring package must be established concretely and in good time.
Right
Arguments Climate policy must remain feasible and affordable for households and businesses. The government should primarily resolve bottlenecks in permits, infrastructure and innovation rather than continually imposing new obligations.
Values Affordability, economic competitiveness and technological freedom.
Consequences A more restrained approach limits immediate costs, but may mean that the government ultimately has to take stricter measures later.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
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The text clearly distinguishes between existing government policy, the announced analysis and the planning agencies’ assessment. No concrete future measures are presented as established facts.
- confirmed The government expects additional climate measures in the spring based on an up-to-date climate analysis. — This is stated in the public text of the prime minister’s press conference. source
- confirmed According to CPB, SCP and PBL, the Netherlands is not on course to meet its climate targets. — The joint reflection on Prinsjesdag states this explicitly. source
- confirmed The coalition agreement describes the 2030 climate target as difficult but maintains the ambition. — This is stated on the government’s page on climate and green growth. source
- confirmed PBL warns that postponement makes the future task greater and more expensive. — The same PBL publication cites this as a consequence of postponement. source
Editor's note
The timetable for additional measures comes from government communications; the precise measures and the timing in spring have not yet been worked out. The warning about failing to meet the targets was, however, explicitly reported by the planning agencies.Sources
- Letterlijke tekst persconferentie na ministerraad 14 augustus 2026 — Rijksoverheid
- Prinsjesdag: Kabinet-Jetten investeert in de toekomst maar schuift óók belangrijke opgaven door — Planbureau voor de Leefomgeving
- Op koers voor het klimaat en groene groei — Rijksoverheid
More on this in Dutch media
- de Volkskrant — „klimaatbeleid kabinet-jetten”
- RTL Nieuws — „klimaatbeleid kabinet-jetten”
- NOS — „klimaatbeleid kabinet-jetten”