A court ruling has forced the Netherlands to promptly deal with its high nitrogen emissions. The Dutch government has decided to cut speed limits on high ways and farmers have rallied in the streets to protest against the plan to reduce livestock numbers.

Most of the “saved” nitrogen emissions from this package will be used to offset the increased emissions from building 75,000 houses in 2020. Only 30 per cent will lead to real emission reductions. It is also worrying that the Dutch government wants to discuss the possibility of repealing some of the Natura 2000 sites and the extension of other Natura 2000 sites with the EU Commission.

Eorpa reporter Andreas Wolff interviews a specialist of the Dutch environmental institute on a location in a natural reserve where nitrogen is measured and interviews a specialist on the chemical waste product Pfas. He portrays the owner of a transport company that is confronted with the obligation to reduce nitrogen emissions and interviews nitrogen specialist Wim de Vries from the Wageningen Agricultural University and he interviews farmer that is member of the Farmers Defence Force that is blocking highways to fight the new plans to cut nitrogen emissions and to bring down the numbers of farmers. Last but not least the Dutch minister of Agriculture is interviewed and with environmentalist and activist Wim van Opbergen he visit the natural reserve De Peel that is seriously affected by nitrogen and he portrays an organic farmer that farms in a circular way, so he has no nitrogen emissions at all.

For this half an hour reportage Featurez gave advise, did the research, set up and planning of the filming, organised a cameraman, booked a rental car, did the driving, accompanied the filming, interviewed the minister and translated all the Dutch answers.