Dutch Climate and Energy Minister Rob Jetten, who announced the package at a press conference in The Hague, said the plan would realise government's aim to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 55 percent by 2030 compared to 1990 -- and could even top 60 percent.
"It is inevitable that our country, our landscape and our economy will change," Jetten said.
"We are working towards a fully climate-neutral circular economy in 2050. For that we really have to get rid of fossil fuels and we have to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions," he said.
Jetten presented no less than 120 measures. They included the closure of all gas and coal-driven power plants by 2035, subsidising the purchase of second-hand electrical vehicles and putting 65 million euros aside for research into building small-scale nuclear power plants.
The Dutch government has already announced it will build two nuclear power plants in southern Netherlands by 2035.
Jetten said petrol prices were set to rise to encourage motorists to change to electric transport in the future, making some 600 million euros available to subsidise the purchase of second-hand electrical cars.
The government would also increase the number of charging points for electrical vehicles, Jetten said.
"By working hard on our own renewable energy, we can make ourselves less dependent on fossil energy from questionable regimes," Jetten said.
"We will have our own clean and sustainable energy supply and do not have to be blackmailed by types like Putin," Jetten said, referring to Europe's previous dependency on Russian gas.
Jetten's announcement comes as EU lawmakers this week adopted laws expanding the bloc's carbon-trading market and introducing a carbon border tax on imports.
Those measures bolster Europe's bid to cut greenhouse gas emissions as it moves towards the goal of a net carbon-neutral future.
The 27 EU countries are collectively the third-biggest global emitter of carbon dioxide.
The Netherlands is one of the highest emitters of greenhouse gases in Europe, especially nitrogen.
In 2019 environmentalists won a landmark case when a Dutch court ordered the government to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 25 percent by the end of 2020.
UK power firm facing probe of climate claims
London (AFP) April 26, 2023 -
British electricity generation firm Drax said Wednesday that regulator Ofgem has ordered a probe to verify its environmental claims of using sustainably sourced wood to burn at its power plants.
The group confirmed a report in the Financial Times, which said Ofgem was examining BBC claims over wood procured from Canada, to assess whether Drax complied with UK biomass sustainability rules that aim to curb emissions and protect biodiversity.
"Ofgem has recently informed Drax that it will commence an audit to verify the information the business provides to the regulator" regarding origin certification, a company spokesperson told AFP, stressing it was a "standard" process.
The watchdog, which also confirmed the probe, added that it regularly undertook additional checks on Drax's adherence to the sustainability scheme.
"Ofgem takes scheme compliance extremely seriously and where we identify or suspect that requirements are not being met we may decide to investigate further," an Ofgem spokesperson told AFP.
"This is an extra layer of assurance, over and above the requirements set out in regulations."
Separately on Wednesday, Drax posted news of a "strong" first-quarter performance and share buyback alongside its annual general meeting (AGM).
The news sent its share price soaring more than three percent on the London stock market.
Drax added Wednesday that its remaining two coal units had begun decommissioning in April.
The group has long planned to switch from coal to biomass wood pellets in a bid to tackle climate change -- but this has sparked outcry from the green lobby which disputes the environmental benefit.
Campaigners demonstrated outside Drax's AGM on Wednesday in anger over the group's policies.
"The reason that we're here is because Drax rebrand themselves as a renewable energy company and that they're a climate solution," biologist Abi Perrin told AFP.
"But this is really not the case. In fact, their activities are exacerbating the harm that's been caused to life around the world and to our carbon emissions, they're still increasing."
Fellow activist Delphine Holmon insisted that Drax was wrongly claiming to be green.
"The problem is that they are a model for the rest of the world to follow: 'this is a way of generating energy while still being green'," Holmon said outside the shareholders' gathering.
"If they are not challenged in the false process of generating power, of taking money under false pretences... it could spread to other areas."
Britain plans to scrap coal-powered electricity generation by October 2024, as part of its goal to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
However, the UK government prompted fury last year when it approved a new coal mine in Cumbria, northwest England, on the edge of the Lake District national park.
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