Who we are | The Netherlands

As a country lying below the sea level, our flat land is surrounded by dikes which protect us against the water. Preventing future climate change and its consequences; such as a rise of the sea level in therefore crucial in Netherlands, as in many other countries. The Young Climate Movement Netherlands aims to constructively unite the voice of youth organizations in the Netherlands, gathering their vision on how to reach climate ambitions, and presenting this to our decision makers in order to increase climate ambitions.

Who we are

  • Zoë de Jonge
  • Anne Dorst
  • Bram Drijvers
  • Mark Damen
  • Nina Gelleking
  • Cerise Kooijman
  • Eva van Genuchten
Zoë de Jonge
Anne Dorst
Bram Drijvers
Mark Damen
Nina Gelleking
Eva van Genuchten
Cerise Kooijman
Cerise Kooijman

Country background

The Dutch government supports the Paris Agreement, setting the goal to reduce greenhouse gasses in 2030 with 49 percent compared to the emissions in 1990. By 2050, the Dutch government agreed together with most of the other EU Member States that emissions must have fallen down with 98 percent (almost climate neutral). 

However, recently the foundation called ‘Urgenda’ filed a lawsuit against the Dutch Government blaming them for not being on track to fulfill these goals, and won. Therefore, the Dutch government currently faces the challenge to sharpen up the execution of its plans and ambitions to fulfill the stated climate goals. 

The necessary transition to realize these goals is, besides a technical challenge, more primarily seen by the Dutch government as a bigger societal challenge. For a successful transition which is consolidated in the long term, a widely supported political and societal base is described by the Dutch government as essential. The Dutch government wants the transition to be achievable and affordable for everyone, with burdens being equally shared. 

Steps that the Dutch government describes to undertake in order to reach this are: shutting down certain coal plants, reducing the emissions of nitrous oxide, taxing the burning and dumping of external waste, decreasing oil and gas extraction, introducing extra biofuels, campaigning energy efficient transport options and -behaviour, stimulating specific CO2 reducing industrial investments, increasing the use of renewable energy sources, inducing CO2 emission reduction policies for soil-, infrastructure- and water sectors, recycling of bioplastics, reducing emissions in the livestock production, stimulating policies for a circular economy and preventing deforestation. 

The government stated to per directly execute these steps. However, due to the outbreak of pandemic COVID-19, the Dutch government now postponed these new climate measures for the time being.

What we're working on

Currently the Young Climate Movement Netherlands is working on a project where we go ‘on tour’ to schools to reach out with lessons to inform more young people about climate change and what you can do about it.This is done with the goal of increasing awareness of more people of climate issues. In addition, we are organizing an online climate dialogue and are working on several campaigns. We as the Global Partnership Team within the Young Climate Movement Netherlands are keeping up our work in streamlining the strategy and possibilities for different countries to support, learn and inspire each other to create our own sustainable agenda’s and present it to policy makers, working towards the COP26. 

Get in touch!