Dutch Parliament is embroiled in a heated debate over a proposed new lower limit for nitrogen emissions, with accusations of political maneuvering and potential legal challenges. The discussion, which began Wednesday evening, saw high emotions and accusations exchanged between members of parliament.

The core of the dispute revolves around Minister Wiersma’s plan to introduce a new ‘arithmetical lower limit’ for nitrogen emissions later this year. This limit would potentially exempt many projects from requiring nature permits, as their emissions would fall below the threshold. While the BBB party supports this as a solution to the nitrogen impasse, critics, including the Council of State, warn of its legal vulnerability.

The debate was briefly halted when Wiersma became emotional discussing the plight of PAS reporters, farmers who have been without nature permits for years due to no fault of their own. Concerns have been raised that the new lower limit could create a similar situation of “false security” for entrepreneurs.

Government parties VVD and NSC, along with employers’ organizations VNO-NCW and Bouwend Nederland, caution that Wiersma’s plan lacks a connection to proven effective nature conservation policies, raising concerns about its viability in administrative courts. They emphasize the need for a robust package of measures that demonstrably contributes to reducing nitrogen deposition on vulnerable nature areas.

Internal warnings from Wiersma’s own civil servants at the Directorate-General for Rural Areas and Nitrogen cautioned against the risk of creating false security, citing past failures with the Programmatic Approach to Nitrogen (PAS) and the ‘construction exemption’. They advised her to first test the proposal and ensure a credible package of measures for reducing nitrogen deposition.

GroenLinks-PvdA and the Party for the Animals have expressed a loss of confidence in Wiersma, with GroenLinks-PvdA Member of Parliament Laura Bromet accusing her of dismissing facts and ignoring the advice of her civil servants. A motion of no confidence was ultimately unsuccessful, but VVD and NSC are giving Wiersma “one more chance” to present a robust package of measures on Budget Day in September, with “far-reaching consequences” if she fails.

Wiersma has declined requests to engage in discussions with Mobilisation for the Environment (MOB), an environmental organization that successfully challenged the PAS program and is currently litigating against nature permits across the country. She expressed strong aversion to MOB’s activists, blaming them for putting farmers in an inhumane situation.