Opposition parties criticised the government for indecisiveness in handling the country’s ongoing nitrogen crisis while advocating for differing approaches as lawmakers in parliament debated potential financing methods for a nitrogen transition fund on Wednesday.

The proposed fund, worth €24.3 billion, is aimed at facilitating the buy-out of farmers and increasing the sustainability of those that remain in business. Previously, the Christen-Democratisch Appel (CDA), which forms part of the governing coalition, had questioned the coalition’s goal of cutting nitrogen emissions in half by 2030 – a key point of the coalition agreement.

“It is the CDA that is holding the country hostage,” Joris Thijssen, a member of the Labour Party (PvdA), said during the debate.

“So what nitrogen target are we going to achieve with this €24.3 billion?” he added. “Make sure builders can build, farmers can farm, and administrators can govern.”

Green Party (GL) member Laura Bromet doubts the fund will reach its goal of making Dutch agriculture more sustainable “because the government has no vision for the future of Dutch agriculture”.

While some opposition parties such as PvdA or GL insisted on “guarantees” that the fund will be spent on nature restoration, others questioned the nitrogen reduction plans as a whole.

Caroline van der Plas, leader of the agrarian interest party BoerBurgerBeweging (BBB), said a large part of the fund was intended to buy out farmers and instead, she advocated for the modernisation of farms.

“[I see] the fund as a crime against taxpayers”, JA21 member Derk-Jan Eppink stated. “What we must have is good policy first, and then look at the money.” He called the debate about the fund “premature”, as there is not yet enough clarity about the exact goals of the cabinet regarding the nitrogen policy.

Parliament will continue discussing the nitrogen issue in three weeks.

(Benedikt Stöckl | EURACTIV.com)