The Netherlands is closing the chapter on coal. On 15 September, the Dutch parliament approved a document calling on the government to adopt a target of a 55 per cent reduction in CO2 emissions by 2030. A goal that cannot be achieved without closing all five coal-fired power stations currently operating in the country.

Last week's vote brings the Netherlands into line with the provisions of the Paris Climate Agreement (Cop 21) and enshrines one of the most ambitious climate policies in Europe. A review of the country's energy mix that was supported by liberals and labour politicians, both determined to push the government to adopt parliament's recommendations quickly, by autumn, before the elections next March.

The Netherlands in line with the Paris Climate Agreement

The vice-president of parliament and liberal MP, Stientje van Veldhoven, explained the significance of the document to the British newspaper Guardian: "Closing large coal-fired power stations, even recently commissioned ones, is the most effective way to meet the targets agreed under the Paris Climate Agreement, and all countries will have to take far-reaching measures. We cannot continue to use coal as the cheapest energy source when, in reality, it is the most costly form of energy once you factor in the climate costs."

The Dutch parliamentary vote was by no means certain, as shown by the narrow majority (77 in favour, 72 against) with which it was passed, but it is a good reflection of the debate on climate change that the Netherlands has been grappling with in recent times.

Last year, a group of 886 citizens, united in the organisation Urgenda, had brought a legal case against the government, accusing it of not doing enough to prevent climate change. In June, the The Hague court ruled at first instance that the government has a duty to protect the interests of its citizens with regard to the climate as well, without hiding behind the justification that the Netherlands is only a small part of a larger global process. The Dutch government was thus called upon to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 25 per cent compared to 1990 levels by 2020, with a view to achieving a 55 per cent reduction by 2030 in order to be in line with international agreements.

Closing coal-fired power stations makes economic sense

Beyond energy-saving measures in the industrial, mobility and agricultural sectors, and carbon dioxide storage underground, the relatively cheapest way to meet the targets would be to close one or two coal-fired power stations. This is the conclusion reached, on the basis of the ruling, by the consultancy firm CE Delft which, commissioned by Eneco, a Dutch renewable energy producer, sought to identify what actions the Netherlands needs to take to meet its climate commitments. A measure that would cost households 30 euros a year, compared to the 80 euros households would on average have to pay to fund measures offsetting the CO2 emissions produced by power stations — such as higher taxes on fuel and road tolls, or increased energy prices to subsidise additional wind farms. The figures, however, do not account for any compensation claims that might be brought by the owners of the coal-fired power stations.

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