From zero point six to one hundred

This week, Prime Minister Rutte was sitting in Nieuwsuur with Mariëlle van Overbeek. In the meantime, a disk diagram lit up. I already knew the numbers, but they came again within. Road traffic: 6,1% share in Dutch nitrogen production. Abroad: 32,3%. Agricultural sector: 46%. Construction: 0,6%. Build 0,6%? It is really there. Zero comma six, the miniscule number that was high enough to flatten an entire construction sector, and to leave job losses like Sword of Damocles above the construction world. Happy is the motorist still there. He can now drive 100 on the highway during the day. Without crucial information underlying that measure.

Zero point six. A fraction of the agricultural nitrogen share. You shouldn't say anything, because then you get a lot of angry reactions and the pressing question: How do you get your food then? It is the sentence that symbolizes the ill-considered shine solidarity with the farmers. Just to indicate: 0,6% nitrogen emissions reduction was not an impossible task for the agricultural sector (from 46% to 45,4%) in the short term. Now something has been said about adapted feed, but the effect is unknown. The first agricultural nitrogen and / or ammonia reduction could thus have been achieved with financial compensation per company, without a drastic reduction in that of the business activities. But the same zero comma six number put the construction sector - and all dependent parties - seriously at risk.

Green is radical, ruthless and supreme

Meanwhile, everything that is green in the Netherlands has the power. The green left church preaches a dangerous belief. The greens in the cabinet, the environmental organizations, the almost radical leftist opposition: whether the economy goes to the sharks or not, it will be vegetarian sausage. Yes, you read that right. The pursuit of climate targets is recklessly used. That's important, because the whole world depends on the small piece of earth. In the meantime, neighbors in Germany may continue to roam on very large areas without a speed limit, but we are going to 100 on the highway, while the construction's nitrogen emissions are not even compensated for. It has so little effect. The measure has not been calculated, no account has been taken of practical use, longer-hanging concentrations of emissions, internal engine pollution and decreasing alertness behind the wheel. Because those are also the effects of slower driving. I hear very little about that, except about obligatory time savings. A matter of deepening.

Drama work

The green left-wing drama work of D'66, Green Left, the Christian Union and clubs such as Urgenda and Milieudefensie keep common sense in a stifling and economically dangerous stranglehold. The Climate Agreement already provides far fewer jobs than expected. The construction sector is under pressure, there is overdue road and bridge maintenance, and the farmers fear for their existence, while a small (and financially compensated) reduction is already a step forward for every farmer. All economic side effects are not considered. Climate target above jobs, climate target above economic crisis. There is no moderation whatsoever, there is no room for a compromise, because suddenly there is far too much nitrogen. That had been known for a long time, but the VVD in this case, Mark Rutte, let themselves be completely through green packing up. And the liberals also let themselves be pushed, because they can present the measures. Then to blame it on the people who came up with it all far too little.

Desired end of the old diesel, herald of more measures

In addition, if you pay attention, the following measures will be pre-sorted with regard to driving in the Netherlands: the old diesel has been highlighted for a while, pulled out of the spotlights again, but you know: that will soon be the end of the story for everything below the Euro 4 standard. That swan song will soon be heavily taxed or used with an expensive scrapping scheme. BOVAG advocates for this and wants to remove hundreds of thousands of older cars from traffic. That is less sustainable than it seems, because it also requires new cars, including electric ones. And you know how long it will take to offset production emissions. Either way, it is an alternative to the 100 km / h measure. It has now been announced to the world, and then it is of course time for the next step in the nasty Hague communication strategy. Because in WNL, shortly after the announced speed reduction, it was very subtle that 17% of the Co2 volume is accounted for by road traffic. Then you will know.

Old-timer lobby must sharpen knives

The announcement is the subtle cross, such a sneaky one snack. The whole of the Netherlands driving a car will be presented with a new bill in the long term, especially if the car is a bit older. The KNAC has already formulated constructive questions for the State Secretary with regard to the 100 km / h measure. And the old-timer lobby must also come into action. Make preparations and sharpen the blades. Please note: there is (at least) a usage restriction that goes far beyond the current transitional arrangement. Do you drive more than 60 days - or, for example, six consecutive months - a year with your hobby car? Complete MRB tick, simply based on weight, possibly including an environmental allowance. The old-timer lobby should not let the sand in its eyes be thrown in by old investigations and low annual mileage. Certainly not because of the latter. Because minimal numbers are already good enough in our country to lay down an entire sector and almost cause irreparable damage. Zero point six, people. And no nitrogen-saving effect in the short term. No, let the farmers in The Hague thresh. Then we will soon eat less. Problem solved.