SDG 13 Climate action

SDG 13 is about addressing climate change caused by human activity. In 2015, a large number of countries agreed that the global temperature increase should be limited to two degrees Celsius. To achieve this, greenhouse gas emissions must be significantly reduced. The Netherlands’ goal is to cut emissions by 55 percent from the 1990 level by 2030.

• Total greenhouse gas emissions are decreasing, as are carbon dioxide emissions from ETS sectors and methane emissions from agriculture.
• The economy is growing while greenhouse gas emissions are decreasing.
• A relatively large number of people are concerned about climate change.

Dashboard and indicators

Colour codes and notes to the dashboards in the Monitor of Well-being

The Climate Agreement and the resulting Climate Act set targets for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Meeting these targets will require a shift away from fossil fuels and towards renewable energy.

Resources and opportunities refers to the resources used in the Netherlands to combat climate change and deal with its effects. In 2024, the government spent 0.3 percent of GDP on reducing the Netherlands’ impact on climate change (climate mitigation).

Use refers to what the Netherlands is doing to combat climate change. Greenhouse gas emissions are calculated based on IPCC definitions, taking into account carbon sequestration in biomass and soil (also known as LULUCF). The Climate Act aims for a 55 percent reduction from 1990 levels by 2030, and to achieve fully carbon-neutral electricity generation by 2050. In 2024, greenhouse gas emissions were 36.6 percent lower than in 1990. Greenhouse gas emissions per inhabitant are also falling, reaching 8 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents in 2024. Although emissions are relatively high compared to the rest of the EU-27, the Netherlands is not in the bottom group of countries (ranking 19th out of 27 in 2022).

Bunkers are fossil fuels used for international water and air transport. In 2023, the aviation sector’s bunker emissions were 9.9 percent lower than in the reference year (2008). The aviation shutdown during the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic caused a major drop in bunker emissions. Compared to the level in 2008, bunker emissions have fluctuated, ranging from a 5 percent increase in 2019 to a 41 percent decrease in 2020. The sudden drop during the COVID-19 pandemic and the gradual recovery afterwards in the aviation industry did not occur in shipping, where after peaking in 2007, bunker emissions have gradually declined to their lowest level in 30 years. In 2023, shipping emissions were 35 percent lower than in the reference year (2008). In the previous year, emissions were 30 percent below 2008 levels. The additional decrease of 5 percentage points can mainly be attributed to the fact that fewer goods were shipped to and from Dutch sea ports in 2023.

Companies with the highest greenhouse gas emissions are required to participate in the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS). Under this system, emission allowance holders can only emit a set amount of greenhouse gases. The 2030 target for ETS companies across Europe has been raised to a 62 percent reduction compared to 2005. No specific ETS targets have been set for EU member states. In 2023, ETS emissions in the Netherlands were 35 percent lower than in 2005, compared to 2022, when it was 25 percent lower than in 2005. Similar sharp reductions have occurred in other European countries over the past several years. Nevertheless, the Netherlands is one of the worst performers on this indicator, along with Austria, Cyprus, Poland and Sweden. Methane emissions from agriculture are also decreasing, but here the Netherlands is near the bottom of the EU ranking as well (25th out of 27 in 2022).

Outcomes refers to all Dutch contributions to global greenhouse gas emissions. Cumulative carbon dioxide emissions are calculated by adding together the amount of carbon dioxide emitted each year from 1860 and dividing this by the total population. This provides an indication of the proportion of global historical emissions attributable to the Netherlands. The Netherlands’ cumulative carbon dioxide emissions are high compared to other EU countries. On the other hand, the greenhouse gas intensity of the Dutch economy is declining. An absolute decoupling is currently taking place between economic growth and greenhouse gas emissions: while GDP (in constant prices) is growing, greenhouse gas emissions are decreasing.

The greenhouse gas footprint reflects the total volume of greenhouse gases emitted that is associated with Dutch consumption. It includes emissions of carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide resulting from economic activities in the Netherlands, as well as the emissions of these substances abroad during the production of goods and services imported by the Netherlands. It excludes emissions in the Netherlands caused by the production of goods for export. In 2022, the greenhouse gas footprint was 13.5 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents per inhabitant, which was average compared to other EU countries.

Subjective assessment refers to climate change concerns and the extent to which people see global warming as a problem. A study by Statistics Netherlands in 2023 showed that over three-quarters of the population aged 18 and over were somewhat or very concerned about the impact of climate change on future generations. In this monitor, concerns are seen as a negative. In a European survey, people were asked what they considered to be the biggest problem facing the world. In 2023, 35 percent of respondents in the Netherlands chose climate change. This puts the Netherlands at the bottom of the EU ranking, together with Denmark and Sweden. However, the variation between EU countries is large, ranging from 41 to 4 percent.