RIVM Publications Repository

This Informative Inventory Report (IIR) describes the emission of air pollutants in 2023 compared to 2022. The report also indicates the extent to which the Netherlands has met the European obligations to reduce emissions compared to 2005, the baseline year. It shows that all targets (as laid down in the EU NEC Directive) were met in 2023, as they were in 2020, 2021 and 2022.

In 2023, 116.4 kilotons of ammonia were emitted, which was 4.0 kilotons less than in 2022. It was also 25 per cent less than in the baseline year (compared to the NEC target of 13 per cent less ammonia). The decrease in 2023 was mainly caused by fewer animals (cattle, poultry and pigs) being kept on farms and more poultry manure being processed and exported.

The emission of PM2.5 particulate matter fell further to 13.8 kilotons in 2023, which was 51 per cent less than in the baseline year (compared to the NEC target of 37 per cent less).

The emission of nitrogen oxides fell by 7.7 kilotons in 2023 to 62 per cent less than in the baseline year (compared to the NEC target of 45 per cent less). The decrease in 2023 was due to industry and consumers using less gas due to the high natural gas prices and thus emitting fewer nitrogen oxides. In addition, modern cars emit less, and less electricity was generated using coal.
In 2023, the emission of sulphur oxides was 2.1 kilotons less than in 2022. This was mainly due to a lower sulphur content in refinery gas and because less coal was used to generate electricity. The emission of sulphur dioxides was 74 per cent less than in the baseline year (compared to the NEC target of 28 per cent less).

The emission of volatile organic compounds was 0.3 kilotons less in 2023 than in 2022. The total emission was 24 per cent less than in the baseline year (compared to the NEC target of 8 per cent less).

The Dutch government uses the analyses to make national policy and to report on emission developments at the international level. RIVM prepares this report for the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management each year. By submitting the report, the Netherlands meets the national reporting obligations for 2025 of the Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution (CLRTAP) and the National Emission Ceilings Directive (NECD).

Total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the Netherlands decreased by 6.8 per cent in 2023, compared to the 2022 emissions. This decrease was mainly the result of lower coal and natural gas consumption in the electricity sector. In addition, more renewable energy resources were used in 2023, such as solar and wind energy. In total this share was 17 per cent of the total energy consumption in the Netherlands. In 2022, this share was 15 per cent.

The total amount of GHG emissions is expressed in CO2-equivalents and are compared with emissions in the base year 1990. Emissions are converted into CO2-equivalents to be able to add up the impact of the various greenhouse gases. The total GHG emissions expressed in CO2-equivalents amounted to 146.4 Mton CO2-eq in 2023. Emissions decreased by 35.6 percent compared to the base year, in which the emissions were 227.5 Mton CO2-eq. Thanks to this emission reduction, the Netherlands amply met the Urgenda target. According to this target, greenhouse gas emissions must be at least 25 percent less than in 1990.

The CO2 emissions were 28.1 per cent less than the level in the base year. The emissions of the other greenhouse gases (methane, nitrous oxide and fluorinated gases) were reduced by 56.8 per cent since 1990. These figures are derived from the final inventory of greenhouse gas emissions in 2023, which is yearly reported by RIVM at the request of the Ministry of Climate Policy and Green Growth (KGG). With this, the Netherlands complies with the national reporting obligations for 2025 set out by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Paris Agreement and the Governance Regulation of the Energy Union (EU 2018/1999) and implementing regulations. In the autumn of 2024, the preliminary emission figures for 2023 were published.

The report also contains an analysis on GHG emission trends between 1990 and 2023. It also includes an assessment of the main sources of GHGs (key sources) and a description of the uncertainty in the emissions estimates. In addition, the inventory sets out the calculation methods and data sources used. Finally, the inventory contains a general description of the quality assurance system and the way verification activities are performed on the data by the Dutch Emission Inventory.