The bigger picture: Hot summer!

It was the start of a long hot summer with nationwide protests, blockades and stunts organised to register widespread opposition to the government’s nitrogen reduction plans.

According to the models used by legislators, nitrogen emissions have to be reduced – ranging from 12% to as much as 95%, depending on the location – to protect vulnerable areas of nature. It sees quick gains can be made by reducing the livestock sector by up to 50%. Hence the strong reaction of the agricultural community.

Farmers accuse the government of having tunnel vision based on a theoretical emissions model, solely focusing on agriculture, and ignoring nitrogen emissions from industry, aviation, traffic and neighbouring countries.

Although most protests were of a peaceful nature, some took on a more grim character. With the government and farmers at loggerheads, there appears to be little common ground for negotiation.