The desired nature in the Netherlands has to meet far too many requirements – and will therefore always fail its final exams
WW Jaspers 4 July 2026
Laura Bromet (PRO) and Lidewij de Vos (FvD) during the House of Representatives debate on the nitrogen plans of D66 minister Jaimi van Essen. Image: YouTube.
By Arnout Jaspers July 4, 2026
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A new cabinet, a new plan, it's nitrogen Groundhog Day again in the House of Representatives. In many ways, an update of The Nitrogen Trap now, after three years, should have no more to do than replace the name of the then minister Christianne van der Wal with that of Jaimi van Essen.
One of the inevitably recurring points of discussion is 'the state of Dutch nature'. Then we had arch-demagogue Tjeerd de Groot in the House of Representatives for D66 who constantly shouted: 'nature is about to collapse' and 'nature cannot wait another day'. Bit of perspective: recently, the recently retired nitrogen professor Wim de Vries told a hearing of the House of Representatives that if you only reduce nitrogen deposition, it can take fifty to a hundred years before you see an effect in the Natura 2000 areas in question. De Vries also said that nitrogen reduction only supports all kinds of other, much more urgent management that requires customization per Natura 2000 area.
This Tjeerd de Groot has been parked for a while in a vague sinecure as a senior fellow at the Institute of Public Administration of Leiden University, but is now back as director of the Wadden Sea Association, with a special focus on 'nature restoration of the Wadden Sea'.
Confusion of tongues
https://www.wyniasweek.nl/de-wensnatuur-in-nederland-moet-aan-veel-te-veel-eisen-voldoen-en-zal-dus-altijd-zakken-voor-haar-eindexamen/