In view of the parliamentary elections in May 1994, the National Institute of Public Health and Environmental Protection has evaluated the environmental effects of the election programmes of two political parties: D66 and GroenLinks. This report presents the findings of this evaluation. Four chapters deal with the environmental policy proposals of both parties, their results for social developments (primarly traffic, energy and agriculture) and areas of environmental concern and its environmental costs. The outcomes are presented in respect to the first and second National Environmental Policy Plans (NEPP-1 and NEPP-2). The main conclusion of this first electoral environmental outlook is that when the proposed environmental measures are fully implemented and enforced, environmental pressures will be further reduced. However, the intended measures of GroenLinks and D66 are insufficient to achieve the targets for all areas of environmental concern within the fixed time. However, the environmental policy proposals of GroenLinks have more impact than those mentioned in NEPP-1 and NEPP-2, both in 2000 and 2010. The environmental policy proposals of GroenLinks will lead to a substantial reduction of the emissions of CO2 to probably below the 2000 target level. In addition, the emissions of acidifying substances (particularly NOx and SO2) will be strongly reduced even in comparison to NEPP-2 proposals. The most important impact of the environmental policy proposals of D66 is also an additional reduction of the CO2 emissions, but not as large as the reduction, resulting from the GroenLinks election programme.

The report "Environmental return of the NEPP-2, supplement to the National Environmental Outlook 3" presents in outline the environmental costs and effects of additional policy measures which are proposed in the second National Environmental Policy Plan (NEPP-2) released in December 1993. The report "Environmental return of the NEPP-2, Appendices E to H' underpins its main results in four enclosures. The first enclosure gives for different areas of environmental concern an extensive description of costs and environmental effects of separate proposed measures whose effectiveness is projected for the years 2000 and 2010. Enclosure F describes new national manure policy measures which are focused on the concerns with manure and ammonia. The next enclosure highlights the environmental effectiveness of NEPP-2 measures on the deposition of acidifying substances. The last enclosure deals with the environmental costs of the NEPP-2 measures in proportion to the environmental costs amounted in the last National Environmental Outlook.

In view of the parliamentary elections in May 1994, the National Institute of Public Health and Environmental Protection has evaluated the environmental effects of the election programmes of six political parties: CDA, PvdA, VVD, D66, GroenLinks and RPF. This report presents the findings of the evaluation of the programmes of the first five parties. The main conclusion of this electroral environmental outlook is that the proposed environmental policy proposals have more impact than those mentioned in NEPP-1 and NEPP-2. In the year 2000 most substantial results are seen for emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), the most important greenhouse gas. The environmental policy proposals of GroenLinks lead to a substantial CO2 emissions reduction of the emissions of CO2 to probably below the 2000 target level. The PvdA and D66 proposals also result in an additional reduction of the CO2-emissions, but not as large as that realised by GroenLinks. CDA and VVD proposals have the same impact as NEPP-2 measures. The proposed measures of PvdA and GroenLinks reduce emissions of acidifying substances (particularly) NOx and SO2) in comparison to both the NEPP-2 proposals and the environmental policy proposals of the other parties. However, because of the high emissions from foreign sources and the emissions of NOx in the Netherlands, none of the political parties will achieve the acidification (deposition) target. In the year 2010 environmental measures of all parties (except VVD) have more impact than NEPP-2. PvdA is the only political party able to achieve more environmental benefits for equal spending. The GroenLinks proposals result in the largest reduction of CO2-emissions. In comparison to the NEPP-2, full implementation and enforcement of the election programmes of the different parties will lead to an additional reducton of emissions of acidifyingemissions. GroenLinks is most successful in reducing the emissions of SO2, NOx en NH3. Compared to all other parties the election programma of GroenLinks lead to the highest additional increase in costs of environmental policy: 10 percent in aid of the NEPP-2. In addition, all parties propose more taxes for environmental harmful activities.

In view of the parliamentary elections in May 1994, the National Institute of Public Health and Environmental Protection has evaluated the environmental effects of the election programmes of six political parties: CDA, PvdA, VVD, D66, GroenLinks and RPF. In contrast to the quantitative findings concerning the other five parties (RIVM report number 482515002), this note presents the findings of the qualitative evaluation of the election programme of RPF. Three chapters deal with the results of the environmental policy proposals for social developments (primarily traffic, energy and agriculture) and areas of environmental concern and its environmental costs. The outcomes are compared to those of the first and second National Environmental Policy Plans (NEPP-1 and NEPP-2). The main conclusion of this qualitative electroral environmental outlook is that the proposed environmental policy proposals of RPF correspond with those of PvdA and D66. The most outstanding difference between RPF and the two parties is the restructuring of the trafic sector. On this point the RPF policies correspond more closely with GroenLinks. The proposed environmental policy proposals of RPF have more impact than those mentioned in NEPP-1 and NEPP-2, but are insufficient to achieve all targets.

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In de Milieubalans 99 wordt de balans opgemaakt van actuele ontwikkelingen in de milieudruk (emissies en afval) en milieukwaliteit (water, bodem, lucht) tegen de achtergrond van het gevoerde milieubeleid en maatschappelijke ontwikkelingen. De Milieubalans wordt jaarlijks uitgebracht op grond van de Wet milieubeheer en is het resultaat van een samenwerking met een groot aantal wetenschappelijke instituten en planbureaus. De Milieubalans is primair een beleidsondersteunend rapport, waarin de laatste stand van de wetenschap is verwerkt. De eindverantwoordelijkheid voor de inhoud van de Milieubalans 99 ligt bij het RIVM. De belangrijkste conclusies uit deze vijfde Milieubalans zijn: De emissie van veel milieubelastende stoffen is ook de afgelopen jaren gedaald, ondanks een meer dan gemiddelde groei van de economie (ontkoppeling). De emissie van CO2 is de belangrijke uitzondering. Deze neemt al jaren toe, hoewel de groei de laatste jaren wel afneemt door energiebesparing en doordat de dienstensector (een minder milieuvervuilende sector) een steeds belangrijker plaats gaat innemen in de economie. De consumptie in Nederland bereikte in 1998 een recordhoogte en wordt steeds energie-intensiever. Vooral bestedingen aan elektrische apparaten, auto en buitenlandse reizen zijn sterk toegenomen. Het energiezuiniger worden van apparaten en auto's heeft deze groei niet kunnen compenseren. Voor verstoring (geluid) en verwijdering zullen de 2000-doelen naar verwachting worden gehaald. Bij verzuring en vermesting dalen de (stikstof-) emissies niet snel genoeg om de 2000-doelen te halen. Ook de verdrogingsdoelstelling voor 2000 is niet realiseerbaar; die voor 2010 is haalbaar mits de beschikbare gelden uit de huidige subsidieregeling beschikbaar blijven. De kwaliteit van water, bodem en lucht is in veel opzichten verbeterd, maar verschillende beleidsdoelen worden nog niet gehaald. Van herstel van ecosystemen is nog nauwelijks sprake: veel natuurgebieden zijn verdwenen en de soortenrijkdom neemt af. De verbeterde milieukwaliteit heeft de afgelopen decennia veel gezondheidswinst opgeleverd. Vooral door de hoge concentraties fijn stof en ozon en door de nog altijd omvangrijke geluidhinder treden echter nog steeds effecten op de volksgezondheid op. De hardnekkige milieuproblemen hangen vooral samen met de groei van het energiegebruik, de mobiliteit en de landbouw, en blijven inspanningen vergen. Daarnaast zijn er nieuwe of sluimerende milieuproblemen die vragen om waakzaamheid. Recente incidenten zoals dioxine in veevoer en besmetting met legionella laten zien dat ook oude en ogenschijnlijk opgeloste problemen toch weer risico's voor de volksgezondheid kunnen opleveren.

Emissions of many environmentally damaging substances have, even the last few years, dropped and this, despite a more than average growth of the economy. Carbon dioxide constitutes a major exception here. Emissions of CO2 have indeed only shown increases, although the growth in the last few years is letting up due to savings in energy and the movement of the service industry (a less polluting sector) towards a more prominent position in the economy. In 1998 consumption in the Netherlands reached a record high and is getting even more energy-intensive. Especially spending on electrical equipment, cars and trips abroad has strong increased. Energy-efficiency improvements in equipment and cars have not been successful in compensating for this growth. The quality of water, soil and air has improved in many aspects, but the various policy objectives have not yet been met. Recovery of ecosystems is practically non-existent. Effects on public health do occur, arising particularly from high concentrations of fine particulates and ozone, as well as the continuing high levels of noise pollution.

Abstract not available

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) was ratified by the Netherlands in December 1993. One of the obligations is to provide a National Communication on greenhouse gas emissions, projections and programmes to reduce these emissions. This background report was written at the request of the Dutch Ministry of Housing, Physical Planning and Environment as a background report for the first Dutch National Communication for the Framework Convention on Climate Change. It documents the methodologies, both for estimating greenhouse gas emissions and sinks, and for projections. For the most important greenhouse gases, it gives estimates for 1980, 1985, 1990, 1991 and 1992, and projections of possible future emissions in 2000 and 2010 under two scenarios. The short-term aim of the Convention is stabilization of emissions between 1990 and 2000. Therefore 1990 was chosen as the base year for emission estimation and 2000 as the base year for evaluation. Emissions were estimated using internationally agreed IPCC methodology as well as methodology used in the Netherlands. The differences between the methods are explicitly explained. Carbon dioxide emissions were estimated with and without a temperature correction. The original Dutch policy method estimates emissions including feedstock use. For methane and nitrous oxide emissions, Dutch emission factors were applied instead of IPCC defaults. As more sources were found for nitrous oxide in the Netherlands, the Dutch emission was higher than when strictly applying IPCC methodology.

This report was written at the request of the Dutch Ministry of Housing, Physical Planning and Environment to comply with the European Unions Greenhouse Gas Monitoring Mechanism (Council Decision 93/389/EEC). The member states of the European Community have adopted the objective of stabilising CO2 emissions in the Community as a whole by 2000 at 1990 levels. The monitoring mechanism provides a means whereby the Commission can monitor progress towards this target on the basis of annual emission inventories supplied by the member states and national programmes which set out emission trajectories and policy measures to limit CO2 or to increase sinks. It also requires member states to report inventories of other greenhouse gases. Under the monitoring mechanism each member state reports its greenhouse gas emissions by the 31st of July each year. By each reporting deadline member states should supply inventories based on provisional data for the previous year and final data for the year previous to that. The first submission of provisional inventories in 1995 should also include data for the base year 1990. A review will be carried out under the responsibility of the European Commission. This report is also written to comply with the obligations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The inventory is compatible with the reporting requirements under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. It contains a greenhouse gas emissions inventory for the years 1993 and 1994, together with a short description of how the internationally adopted IPCC Guidelines have been applied in the Netherlands. Temperature corrected carbon dioxide emissions in 1993 and emissions of methane and nitrous oxide were slightly higher than 1990. A dip in the economic development especially in the chemical industry sector prevented a further growth in emissions. Provisional data for 1994 suggest a significant increase in carbon dioxide emissions due to the prosperous economic developments. Energy efficiency improvements prevented an even further growth in emissions.