in: NRC Handelsblad 01.07.2015, 19
Together with 900 citizens, the Urgenda Foundation filed the climate case against the government of the Netherlands. Just last week, Urgenda won the lawsuit, forcing the Dutch government to increase its ambition and reduce its greenhouse gasses by 25% in 2020 compared to 1990.
However, reactions from the Dutch cabinet have been flawed so far - as if politicians do not understand the consequences of the verdict. Pauw and Chan argue that the government will break the law if they do not take concrete steps to increase ambition, and ask two questions: who is politically responsible, and how to change course dramatically?