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“We focus on restoring nature in the Netherlands”

In our People & Nature program, we saw that the war in Ukraine also had an impact on the sustainability ambitions in Europe and the Netherlands. Program managers Nina Koopman and Karlijn Steinbusch look back on 2022 and tell us about the most important developments in the program.

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What is your impression of 2022?

It was a rocky year! In the Netherlands, the farmers’ protests dominated the news. While we understand the uncertainty among farmers, it was above all a sign that exceeding environmental boundaries is finally gaining the necessary political attention. The state of nature in the Netherlands is poor and biodiversity in our natural areas is rapidly declining. This trend must be reversed and politicians finally realize this.

At the European level, 2022 was a complicated year. Unfortunately, our high expectations of EU legislation were not fulfilled. Understandably, the focus was on the war in Ukraine. The improvement of REACH, the most crucial part of EU legislation on the regulation of harmful chemicals, was delayed as a result. In the interests of our health and our environment, we hope that – partly under pressure from our partners – these reforms will be successful in 2023.

What are essential developments in your program?

For a long time, we have been promoting better protection of the Mediterranean Sea. With our funding, local organizations have been able to join forces in the Med Sea Alliance, thus ensuring a greater impact. For example, our partners have created an online atlas that charts illegal bottom trawling in protected areas in the Mediterranean. In addition, this young alliance has also launched various ambitious projects (see page 36).

Can you give us an idea of the program activities for 2023?

Globally, our partners pay close attention to the commitments to protect and preserve at least 30 percent of the world’s land and oceans by 2030, also known as the 30x30 initiative. Also here in the Netherlands, we need to figure out how we use our scarce space. How do we combine the need for more housing and economic activity with more space for nature? Our partners, such as Ark Rewilding Nederland, show that a more robust nature can also improve water quality and solve the nitrogen problem. We want to ensure that their voices are heard more prominently.

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