Dutch farmers strike to Protect the Environment
Farmers in the Netherlands have taken to the field against the government’s plans to close animal farms that emit harmful Ammonia and Nitrogen gases. They also threatened to paralyze the entire country if the demand remained unmet.
Farmers and ranchers in the Netherlands are angry about a government plan for the environment. They blocked the food supply center of the country’s supermarkets with tractors and trucks. Fishers also blockaded some ports in solidarity with the farmers.
The government of the Netherlands recently proposed to reduce nitrogen and ammonia gas emissions by 50 percent by 2030. Provincial governments have given a year to figure out how to implement the plan. The idea is that this could lead to government buyouts of large-scale ammonia-emitting livestock farms.
Nitrogen oxides play a significant role in air pollution in the world. Nitrous oxide is responsible for more greenhouse gases than carbon dioxide. However, Dutch farmers say they got mistreated. The government is not planning for its future at all.
China’s big cities are feeling the effects of air pollution. Chengdu is the fifth largest city in China. The authorities there are trying so that people in residential areas can walk easily by reducing their dependence on vehicles. Under this plan, they are thinking of making 50 percent of the roads car-free. China has built 300 eco-cities so far.
As per the plan, other sectors, including construction, are also being brought under restrictions. However, the government of the Netherlands considers the animal farms that emit ammonia gas to be vital in this regard.
The government wants to reduce nitrogen emissions by 70 percent near nature reserves. As a result, 30 percent of the country’s animal farms may be closed.
The farmers have threatened to paralyze the entire country if their demands remain unmet. They also said that this protest would continue. In such a situation, the government has appointed a mediator to negotiate with the environment department and farmers’ organizations.
However, Prime Minister Mark Rutte has maintained a tough stance on the matter. He clarified that there would be no discussion with the farmers responsible for the violent protests.
