Netherlands

The Netherlands remains ranked 10th in the CCPI and maintains an overall high rating. The country receives medium ratings across the board, in GHG Emissions, Renewable Energy, Energy Use, and Climate Policy. Declining energy consumption (rated very high) and the rise in renewable energy (rated high) are especially noteworthy.

Following the snap elections in October 2025, a minority government (the Jetten cabinet) now runs the Netherlands. The CCPI country experts note that this government is largely continuing previous policies, although it has announced new measures for 2027. The experts point to inconsistent policies of successive governments and note that many Dutch people consider them unfair and are becoming reluctant to support climate policy. The Dutch Climate Act enshrines a 55% reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2030 and climate neutrality by 2050. The most recent climate plan contains no target for 2035 and states that no new national targets will be added to EU policy. Emissions increased by 0.8% in 2025 compared with 2024, and the country remains far off track to reach levels consistent with EU targets, as confirmed by the 2026 Climate and Energy Outlook of the Netherlands (KEV). The experts also note a court ruling from January 2026 that confirmed that the Netherlands discriminates against residents of the island of Bonaire because it fails to protect them sufficiently against climate change and needs to do more. They recommend accelerated implementation of climate policies and binding carbon budget targets for 2035, 2040, and 2045.

Renewables grow, but with scaled-down offshore targets, grid congestion, and continued gas expansion

The Netherlands continues to support renewable energy production, with a renewed support scheme for offshore wind and an extension to the Sustainable Energy Production and Climate Transition (SDE++) subsidy, which has a new budget of up to EUR 8 billion annually for 2027–2032. However, the growth in renewable energy is now putting stress on the system through grid congestion and insufficient electricity demand. The experts note that these constraints and higher-than-anticipated costs have led to lower indicative targets for offshore wind and electrolyser capacity. They indicate that the use of coal for electricity production will be banned by 2030 and fossil fuel extraction has fallen sharply since the Groningen gas field closed in April 2024. They also note the government’s continued support for natural gas exploration and the development of new gas fields in the North Sea. They demand action to address grid congestion, extend the phase-out law to natural gas and oil, stop the development of new gas fields, and decommission or repurpose existing ones.

Electric vehicles speeding up electrification, but industry and buildings lag

The experts find that, in the Netherlands, electrification is a by-product of policies supporting electric vehicles and heat pumps. The experts regard transport as the most dynamic sector, noting that the number of electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids surpassed 1 million for the first time in 2025, but they call for more affordable public transport. In the buildings sector, they demand more progress and a more binding approach that goes beyond EU standards. Regarding industry, the experts acknowledge the compulsory energy-saving measures for companies, but see slow and weak enforcement of these measures, as well as a low level of electrification.

Agriculture in the Netherlands, an important global food producer, substantially contributes to the country’s GHG emissions. The experts note that the sector is largely excluded from climate policies. They argue that fundamental changes are needed in conventional agriculture, such as reducing the number of cattle and supporting nature-positive agriculture, as well as implementing a nitrogen plan.

In international climate policy, the experts welcome the Netherlands’ role in co-hosting the Santa Marta conference in Colombia in April 2026, the first international conference on the just transition away from fossil fuels.

Overall, the experts recommend that the Netherlands ensures it achieves its GHG emissions reduction targets, strengthens climate policies across the board, especially for industry, buildings, and agriculture, and enshrines the phase-out of fossil fuels in concrete legislation with a clear timeline and binding intermediate goals.

Key outcomes

CCPI experts

The following national experts agreed to be mentioned as contributors for this year’s CCPI:

• Lisanne Boersma (WISE Nederland)
• Kornelis Blok (Delft University of Technology)
• Sible Schöne (Energierijk Nijmegen)