Environmental Balance 2005. Summary

A main finding of the Environmental Balance 2005 is that there is a gap between EU legislation and pressure on Dutch environment, which pressures for additional national measures in order to reduce this pressure. The Netherlands are more densely populated and have thus higher emissions per square kilometer. Also, contribution by foreign polluters is relatively large when compared to other European countries. The Netherlands will thus need further measures in order to comply with European environmental requirements. This notion shows a dilemma between on the one hand the European demands for an economic level playing field for producers, while on the other hand the EU strives for equality in environmental protection of its citizens.

Additional measures in the Netherlands are often related with spatial planning, e.g. by separating pollution sources from nature reserves or human activities such as living and recreation. This approach often helps to avoid setting stricter standards for (Dutch) companies, but in case of high background concentrations or high spatial disintegration it may be difficult or impossible to apply this approach.