THE HAGUE, Netherlands — A Dutch court issued a ruling on Wednesday mandating that the government fulfill its nitrogen emission reduction targets set for 2030, a decision that is poised to have significant economic and political repercussions.

The District Court of The Hague expressed dissatisfaction with the government’s failure to present any concrete strategies to tackle the pollution issue. The court stated that within five years, half of the nation’s protected natural areas must be safeguarded from nitrogen pollutants stemming from agriculture, construction, and other sectors.

In a move made in September, the ruling Dutch coalition, which includes the far-right Party for Freedom, abandoned an agreement made by the previous administration. The current government has yet to formulate a new plan to address the issue effectively. “The current government has not yet announced any policy based on which it can be assumed with any scientific certainty that, if implemented, the statutory nitrogen target for 2030 will be achieved,” Judge Jerzy Luiten remarked.

Recently, Prime Minister Dick Schoof said he would form a ministerial committee tasked with finding viable solutions to the problem.

“This is truly a win after years of inertia. I believe this ruling reveals the inadequacy of the former cabinets’ plans, and now they are obligated to present a new plan,” stated Hilde Anna de Vries from Greenpeace, speaking to the media following the court’s decisions.

Should the government not meet the established targets, it would incur a penalty of 10 million euros (approximately $10.4 million) payable to Greenpeace.

In response, the pro-agriculture lobbying group LTO urged the government to file an appeal. Chairperson Ger Koopman expressed concern, stating, “The actions needed to meet the nitrogen targets for 2030 will have an unprecedented effect on agriculture, housing development, and the Dutch economy overall.”

Both parties have been given six weeks to file an appeal regarding the ruling.

Greenpeace initiated the legal proceedings in 2023 following the collapse of then-Prime Minister Mark Rutte’s administration, which had raised doubts about a package of measures that included buyouts for livestock farmers and new stringent regulations.

As part of European Union guidelines, the Netherlands is required to significantly lower emissions of nitrogen oxide and ammonia near nature areas that are essential habitats for endangered flora and fauna within the 27-member bloc.

Despite ongoing campaigns from environmental organizations advocating for emission reductions, a ruling from the nation’s supreme administrative court in 2019 halted construction permits, as judges found that certain exemptions to pollution regulations were contrary to EU laws.

Faced with a housing crisis, Rutte’s government was compelled to seek solutions to revive construction initiatives, one option being to lower the maximum speed limit on many highways from 130 kilometers per hour (81 miles per hour) to 100 km/h (62 mph).

The agricultural sector became a central target in the push for emission reductions. In 2022, thousands of farmers drove their tractors through the streets of The Hague to voice their opposition to previous government proposals aimed at emissions curtailments, asserting that their industry was being disproportionately singled out compared to others such as aviation and construction, which faced less stringent regulations.

The recent electoral success of right-leaning parties in 2023, including one that emerged from the protests, can be partially attributed to the backlash against the proposed emission reduction strategies.