Some European countries have implemented emissions-reducing protocols to enhance their already fairly-healthy environments. Others have done so to help combat more severe air-quality crises. The Netherlands falls into the latter camp.
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Strict measures for a severe problem
Per the BBC, the Netherlands recently announced it will reduce the daytime speed limit on Dutch roads by 100km/h (62 mph). The goal is to help alleviate the current nitrogen oxide pollution crisis the country is battling. Though drivers can still observe the previous, higher speed limit of 130km/h when traveling at night.
Prime Minister Mark Rutte spoke to the vital importance of the new regulation, despite its inconvenience to drivers who want to get to their daytime destinations as fast as possible. “No one likes this. But there’s really something bigger at stake. We have to stop the Netherlands from coming to a halt and jobs being lost unnecessarily.”
Right now, the country will implement the lower speed limit temporarily. Though there’s a chance that it could become a more permanent change sometime in the future.
Photo: Pixabay
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The context of the crisis
The new speed limit comes in the context of other efforts to help curb the country’s nitrogen levels. Back in May, the Netherlands started reducing the number of permits it gave for projects that tend to result in a nitrogen-level spike (e.g. road construction and farm expansion projects).
It did this because the Administrative Jurisdiction Division declared that the current government rules for granting such permits breached EU legislation. Per Politico’s Eline Schaart, up to 18,000 infrastructure and construction projects have been delayed.
Concluding thoughts
But back to the speed limit change… Granted, it’s just one small change in the grand scheme of improving the Netherlands’ air quality. But hopefully, it will continue to inspire additional measures that will bring the country closer to achieving its greener environment.
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News Sources: BBC, The Drive, Politico.eu
