23 March 2022 -
23 March 2022 – Nature is declining at an alarming rate in the Netherlands. According to the Council for the Environment and Infrastructure (Rli), the biodiversity crisis is as serious as the climate crisis. Robust nature is crucial for the quality of life in the Netherlands. People depend on nature for their health, for clean drinking water, for healthy food and for clean air. In its advisory…
2 December 2021 -
Farmers should have prospects for the future within the boundaries of sustainability. To operate their businesses, farmers must have at least the following: clarity about the criteria that their farm must meet, the freedom to determine how they will meet those criteria, and a well-managed system of monitoring and enforcement. Meeting these three conditions will require new government policy. This…
14 October 2021 -
The National Growth Fund (Nationaal Groeifonds) was instituted to raise the Netherlands' future gross domestic product. The Council for the Environment and Infrastructure (Rli) concludes in its advisory report "Investing in sustainable growth" that this goal can only be achieved by investing exclusively in activities aligned to the transition to a carbon-neutral, low-resource, nature-inclusive…
Rli 10 February 2021 -
In accessibility policy, the focus is too one-sided, concentrating on eliminating traffic congestion and investing in new infrastructure projects. Other solutions, such as spreading traffic throughout the day, digital alternatives or smart urbanisation policies, should be given more consideration in decisions to improve accessibility. Government and parliament could also respond more actively to…
Rli 9 February 2021 -
Digital technology and data use are changing our society in fundamental ways. These changes are having a major impact on the sustainability of our living environment. Although digitalisation and sustainability are inextricably connected, government policy fails to recognise this connection. In its advisory report about ‘digitalisation and the transition towards a sustainable society, the Dutch…
Rli 25 January 2021 -
Climate-neutral hydrogen is an indispensable link in the future supply of energy and feedstocks. However, a market for climate-neutral hydrogen will not simply materialise automatically. It requires the government to build infrastructure, finance new technology and stimulate demand for hydrogen with targeted measures. These are the conclusions of the Council for the Environment and Infrastructure…
Rli 1 October 2020 -
Fewer and fewer people are unable to participate sufficiently in urban life. They can no longer find or pay for a home and many amenities in the city are inaccessible to them. Furthermore, fewer people have transport to reach work or medical facilities. This is the conclusion reached by the Council for the Environment and Infrastructure (Rli) in its advisory report ‘Access to the city’ that was…
10 July 2020 -
After the corona crisis, the Dutch Government will have to assist the process of economic recovery. The most effective recovery measures would be those that boost both the economy and employment, in the short term, while also contributing to a sustainable economy in the longer term. This is the conclusion by the Council for the Environment and Infrastructure (Rli) in its advisory report, ’Green…
Rli 1 July 2020 -
Europe can and must do more to improve international passenger travel by rail. This will contribute towards the EU’s environmental goals, will enhance the economic competitiveness of agglomerations and stimulate sustainable tourism. Moreover, the transport sector will need support from the EU to prevent decline in the wake of the current COVID-19-crisis. This support can be used as an incentive…
Rli 29 June 2020 -
The health of rural soils in the Netherlands is in jeopardy, but current soil policy provides an inadequate response. Objectives for nature, water and climate are not being met and agricultural yields are under threat. The government must do more to ensure soils are suitable for multiple uses, but also that activities take place where the soil is able to support them. Amendments to the…