Assessment of the Living Environment 2010

Quality of the human environment under pressure from crisis; clear and effective policies remain needed

Over the past twenty years, the quality of the human environment has improved enormously, in part as a result of government policy. The air and surface waters have become cleaner, cities are more attractive places in which to live and more space has been awarded to nature. In contrast to this good news, there are large problems remaining, such as the already noticeable change in climate, the decline in biodiversity and reduced accessibility, especially to the Randstad. In order to turn these negative developments around, specific policy measures are needed. This is an important task for the new Dutch Cabinet.

In the short term, the human environment benefits from the economic downturn: emission levels of pollutants are down due to the decrease in economic activity, and the pressure on the scarce amount of space has temporarily been reduced. However, because of the crisis, obtaining funding for the development of clean technology has become more difficult. If investments in urban development, nature and the landscape decrease due to spending cuts, this is likely to put pressure on both the liveability in cities and the quality of nature and the landscape. Continuation of effective policies in a clever and targeted manner, therefore, is of crucial importance.