Environment

Amsterdam's Emissions Drop but Climate Goals Missed

Amsterdam has made significant strides towards cutting emissions, but the city is still off its track to meet its 2030 goals for reducing greenhouse gases, according to the "Our City of Tomorrow" program's first assessment. Officials say there will need to be added national support to bolster the electricity grid, greening the industrial sector and building out heating networks to help with reducing dependence on natural gas.

Progress and Setbacks
The report estimates that Amsterdam's CO2 emissions are expected to drop 46% by 2030 compared to 2018 levels. This is what the city has termed "substantial progress", but still below the 60 percent drop target. Efforts to lower the use of new materials, through circular economy practices, have also been too slow.

Local Action and Implementation
The municipal government has committed to a path of exploring measures in mobility, the built environment and industry. Areas of achievement have been in the port and industrial sectors, where emission drops began with the shutdown of the Hemweg coalmine in 2019. Energy efficiency has also improved in homes, where 63% of homes were attributed to being energy label D or better compared to the 20% in 2012. The city administration also reported that they have lowered its CO2 emissions by 75% since 2018.