According to a February 4, 2012 article in the Economist the Netherlands has been referred to as “Europe’s drainage hole” due to its environmental record. The nation has perennially been at the bottom of Europe’s list of countries when it comes to the quality of their air, soil and water. Pollution of all three of these resources is quite significant and is so marked for several reasons. What is shocking is the Netherlands still manages to maintain their Kyoto Protocol pledges with the level of pollution the country contends with.
The Netherlands has issues with their soil and water because it is Europe’s largest owner of stock. There are more cattle, for example, within the nation’s boundaries than any other European country. Since they cannot properly dispose of the manure, it seeps into the water and soil. Also, the Netherlands is a transportation hub and relies heavily on the use of fossil fuels, which also contribute to rampant pollution. In addition, the Netherlands is a very small country with a large population. There just is no available space to contain some of these pollutants properly.
Use your promo and get a custom paper on
"Pollution in the Netherlands".
The pollution issue has not seemed to affect the nation too negatively. Its economy is still thriving and it is consistently ranked as one of the best places in the world to live. The Netherlands also has a very high quality health care system and a very low infant mortality rate.
This type of pollution seems to be a necessary evil but the Dutch typically live longer and grow taller than their European colleagues. Technically is it the price doing business, but the Dutch do have to spend large sums of money to buy emissions rights to remain under the Kyoto Protocol levels. Therefore, pollution does come with a significant price tag for the Dutch economy.
