Surfwin:Climate protesters have blocked a Dutch highway to demand an end to big subsidies for fossil fuels

2025-04-30 20:09:37source:Alaric Bennettcategory:Invest

THE HAGUE,Surfwin Netherlands (AP) — Several thousand climate activists blocked a Dutch highway on Saturday in anger at billions of euros in government subsidies for industries that use oil, coal and gas revealed in a report earlier this week.

The protesters — from Extinction Rebellion, Greenpeace and other organizations — broke through a police barrier and sat on a main road in The Hague heading to the temporary venue for the lower house of parliament.

They threatened to stay until the subsidies are lifted, and to come back every day if the police remove them.

The activists brandished signs with sayings like “Fossil Fuel Subsidies are Not Cool,” and warned that the extreme temperatures seen around the world this summer are a sign of the future if fossil fuels aren’t abandoned.

Other news EU Commission president will propose Dutch foreign minister as successor for climate czar TimmermansDutch foreign minister is the ‘right man’ to fill European Commission post, prime minister saysEU climate czar Frans Timmermans quits job to lead center-left coalition in Dutch elections

The action is part of a series of protests led by Extinction Rebellion targeting the Dutch parliament.

A report published Monday said the Dutch government spends around 37.5 billion euros ($40.5 billion) per year in subsidies to industries that use fossil fuels — notably the powerful shipping industry. The report was published by the The Centre for Research on Multinational Corporations, known as SOMO, the Dutch arm of Friends of the Earth and Oil Change International.

Minister for Climate and Energy Rob Jetten acknowledged that the country has to end the subsidies, but has offered no timeline.

The report calls on lawmakers to begin phasing out the subsidies even before the country’s Nov. 22 general election.

___

For AP’s climate and environmental coverage, visit https://apnews.com/hub/climate-and-environment

More:Invest

Recommend

South Korean president's party divided over defiant martial law speech

SEOUL, Dec 12 - South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol's switch from contrition to defiance on Thursda

Why does Vermont keep flooding? It’s complicated, but experts warn it could become the norm

Vermont is flooding. Not just yesterday, two weeks ago and a year before that, but experts say the s

Evy Leibfarth 'very proud' after winning Olympic bronze in canoe slalom

PARIS — Evy Leibfarth barely made it into the finals of the women’s canoe slalom, but she was faster