Emissions of air pollutants already meet 2030 standards

Emissions of air pollutants in the Netherlands already meet European environmental targets.
© CBS
Emissions of air pollutants in the Netherlands already meet European environmental targets. Last year, emissions of nitrogen oxides and particulate matter, for example, were below the emissions limit that will apply from 2030. This is partly because motor vehicles are becoming ever cleaner. This is according to figures released by Statistics Netherlands (CBS) and the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM)/Netherlands Pollutant Release and Transfer Register.

Air pollutants can be harmful to nature and to human health. Nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter, for instance, can penetrate deep into the respiratory tract. This can cause people to develop respiratory problems and asthma. Long-term exposure to particulate matter can also lead to cardiovascular problems.


European legislation sets maximum emissions for each air pollutant, based on 2005 levels. For instance, the maximum level of NOx emissions permitted in 2020 was 45 percent lower than 2005 emissions. By 2030, emissions of NOx must be 61 percent lower than they were in 2005. In the Netherlands, emissions of all air pollutants since 2020 have been lower than the emissions limit that came into effect in that year. Emissions of each pollutant in 2024 were also lower than the limit that will apply from 2030.

Fall in NOx emissions due to cleaner cars

Emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) have fallen almost every year since 2005. Nitrogen oxides are released when fossil fuels are combusted, so they are found in exhaust fumes, for example. Most NOx emissions come from transport. These emissions have dropped over recent decades because passenger cars and heavy goods vehicles have been subject to ever stricter emissions standards. The decrease in emissions is likely to continue as more and more clean cars and trucks are on the road in the Netherlands. There are increasing numbers of all-electric vehicles on our roads, for example, and these do not emit NOx.

 

Households are the main source of particulate matter

In 2024, the majority of particulate matter was emitted by households, mainly as a result of burning wood in stoves and fireplaces. Emissions from households have fallen since 2005, but the fall has been nowhere near as large as it has been for transport (which was the largest source of emissions in 2005). European emissions requirements for new cars, such as particulate filters, have led to a fall in emissions of particulate matter.

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