Benchmarking Eco-Efficiency and Footprints of Dutch Agriculture in European Context and Implications for Policies for Climate and Environment

The agricultural sector in the Netherlands is per unit of land the most productive and efficient sector in the European Union (EU). However, emissions of ammonia, surpluses of nitrogen and phosphorus, and use of pesticides per hectare of agricultural land are also among the highest in the EU. In spite of successful policies and farm measures to reduce this pollution, agriculture still constitutes the largest environmental pressure on biodiversity. Dutch agriculture, including horticulture, also contributes 14% (32 Mton CO2-eq in 2016) to the national emissions of greenhouse gasses (GHG). These... Mehr ...