SDG 13 Climate action

SDG 13 is about addressing climate change caused by human activity. In 2015, a large number of countries agreed that the global temperature increase should be limited to two degrees Celsius. To achieve this, greenhouse gas emissions must be significantly reduced. The Netherlands’ goal is to cut emissions by 55 percent from the 1990 level by 2030.

• Total greenhouse gas emissions are on a downward trend, as are CO2 emissions from ETS sectors and methane emissions from agriculture.
• Greenhouse gas emissions increased in 2025.

Dashboard and indicators

Colour codes and notes to the dashboards in the Monitor of Well-being

The Climate Agreement and the resulting Climate Act set targets for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Meeting these targets will require a shift away from fossil fuels and towards renewable energy.

Resources and opportunities relate to the resources used in the Netherlands to combat climate change and cope with its effects. In 2025, the Dutch government spent 0.4 percent of GDP on reducing the Netherlands’ impact on climate change (climate mitigation).

Use concerns what the Netherlands is doing to combat climate change. Greenhouse gas emissions are calculated based on IPCC definitions, taking into account carbon sequestration in biomass and soil (also known as LULUCF). The Climate Act aims for a 55 percent reduction from 1990 levels by 2030, and the achievement of fully carbon-neutral electricity generation by 2050. In 2025, greenhouse gas emissions were 36 percent lower than they were in 1990. Although greenhouse gas emissions are trending downwards, in 2025 they increased by approximately 1 percentage point compared to 2024. As a result, the Netherlands is slightly further away from achieving the objectives set out in the Climate Act. Greenhouse gas emissions per capita are falling, and totalled 8.0 tons of CO₂ equivalents in 2025. Although emissions are relatively high compared to the rest of the EU-27, the Netherlands is not in the bottom group of countries (ranking 17th out of 27 countries in 2023).

Bunkering is the process of supplying fossil fuels for international water and air transport. In 2024, the aviation sector’s bunkering emissions were 4.4 percent lower than they were in 2008 (the reference year). That represents an increase of 5.5 percent from 2023, when the reduction relative to 2008 was 9.9 percent. In 2024, bunkering emissions from shipping were back at the same level as in 2022, a reduction of approximately 30 percent compared to 2008 levels. After 2007, when emissions reached their highest level since the start of the time series in 1995, they fell gradually to their lowest level of the past 30 years in 2023. The reduction in emissions between 2008 and 2023 was over 35 percent. Fewer goods were shipped to and from Dutch seaports in 2023.

Companies with the highest greenhouse gas emissions are required to participate in the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS). Holders of emissions licences are permitted to emit no more than a specified amount of greenhouse gases. The 2030 target for ETS companies across Europe has been increased to a 62 percent reduction compared to 2005 levels. This target applies in every EU country. No specific ETS targets have been set per EU member state. In 2024, ETS emissions in the Netherlands were 34.1 percent below 2005 levels. The previous year had seen the largest reduction from 2005 levels, at 35 percent. In 2015, emissions were at their highest level since 2005. Subsequently, they began to fall. Despite a sharp reduction, the Netherlands is one of the worst performers on this indicator, along with Cyprus, Sweden, Poland and Austria. Methane emissions from agriculture are also trending downwards, and as with ETS emissions, the Netherlands is near the bottom of the EU rankings on this indicator (25th out of 27 in 2023).

Outcomes concern the Netherlands’ total contribution to global greenhouse gas emissions. Cumulative CO₂ emissions are calculated by dividing the total amount of carbon dioxide emitted every year since 1860 by the total population. Cumulative CO₂ emissions are no longer increasing but remain high compared to other EU countries. These emissions provide an indication of the proportion of global historical CO₂ emissions attributable to the Netherlands.

The greenhouse gas intensity of the economy is decreasing and is low within the EU-27. In recent years, GDP has grown (in constant prices), while greenhouse gas emissions have fallen. Although emissions rose again in 2025, the economy grew more quickly, as a result of which the greenhouse gas intensity of the economy still fell.

The greenhouse gas footprint reflects the total volume of greenhouse gases emitted globally that are attributable to consumption in the Netherlands. In 2023, the greenhouse gas footprint was 12.2 tons of CO₂ equivalents per capita, which was average compared to other EU countries. This includes emissions of carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide resulting from economic activities in the Netherlands, as well as emissions of those substances abroad during the production of goods and services imported by the Netherlands. It excludes emissions in the Netherlands caused by the production of goods for export.

Subjective assessment relates to climate concerns and the extent to which people see climate change as a problem. A CBS study published in 2023 found that over three-quarters of the population aged 18 and over were somewhat or very concerned about the impact of climate change on future generations. In this monitor, concerns are seen as a negative. In a European survey, people were asked what they considered to be the biggest problem facing the world. In 2023, 35 percent of respondents in the Netherlands chose climate change. This puts the Netherlands at the bottom of the EU ranking , together with Denmark and Sweden, where also a relatively large share of the population worries about climate change. However, the variation between EU countries is large, ranging from 41 to 4 percent.