Only 18 of 173 Dutch peatlands meet nature targets

Just 18 of the 173 peatland areas across the Netherlands (10%) meet their quality criteria, the Court of Audit (Algemene Rekenkamer) says in a new report. For most Dutch peatland, the nature targets have not been met.

Peatlands matter for biodiversity, and they store large amounts of CO2 in the soil, which helps the country meet its climate goals, the Rekenkamer says.

Targets for surface area show the most positive picture, but three-quarters of areas still fall short of them. Goals can aim to improve or enlarge an area, or simply to keep what is already there.

The government has made almost €2bn available between 2021 and 2030 to reduce the effects of nitrogen deposition and improve biodiversity.

A tangle of authorities

Improvements inside the areas are not enough, the Rekenkamer says. Buffer zones are also needed around them. There, municipalities, water boards, central government and private parties all have a say. Direction is often unclear, and dependence on others slows the process. The Rekenkamer calls it "a swamp of administrative decision-making".

It says Nature Minister Van Essen (D66) "plays only a limited role". He can push policy through but does too little of it, the report says. "If the minister does not do this, the goals for peatlands, but also for other nature areas, are at risk," the Rekenkamer warns.