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Green Plans in Action: Netherlands: History
The Netherlands is a small and densely populated country known for its progressive social policies and rich tradition of cooperation. Since the 13th century, the Dutch have worked together to alter their country's geography by reclaiming 30% of their land from the sea through a series of complex dikes and drainage canals. This cultural understanding of their limits has led to a modern environmental policy that has become the model for green plans and is characterized by consensus building and comprehensive, long-range planning. Increasing industrialization in the Netherlands led to growing environmental concerns and development of a disparate collection of environmental regulations in the 1970s. In 1988 three incidents riveted the attention of the Dutch population to the fact that they were losing environmental ground and the existing regulatory system was not working. First, 14,000 North Sea harbor seals, whose immune systems had been weakened by water pollution, died. Second, the publication of a scientific report entitled, "Concern for Tomorrow," made the Dutch realize that they were nearing their carrying capacity and called for an overall reduction of emission pollutants by 70-90% by 2010. The final catalyst was the Christmas message from the beloved Queen Beatrix when she warned her citizens "the earth is slowly dying," and called for immediate action. Queen Beatrix has since become known as the Green Queen, and although her speech inspired environmental action, existing regulations were not up to the task. Insufficient environmental protection, economic decline, and a serious burden placed on Dutch companies by the existing regulatory system combined to push government officials toward a more comprehensive, management-based approach benefiting both the environment and economy. The government sought direct input from both industry and environmental groups into the policy development process. As a result, the first National Environmental Policy Plan (NEPP) was adopted by Parliament in 1989 to achieve a sustainable, high-quality environment within 25 years, one generation. The government, industry and non-profit community continue to move progressively toward the goal of sustainability and are well on their way to accomplishing most of their targets. These targets, set in 1989 with the first NEPP, were revised every four years in three variations of the NEPP. Despite significant changes in parliament, shifting priorities of the electorate, and an increase in environmental regulations required by the European Union, the goals of the NEPP remain intact. |
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