Lately, there has been a lot of debate on what the effect is of the reduction of greenhouse gases in the Netherlands. However, I would like to reverse the question. Why is it so important for us that we reduce the emission of greenhouse gases? The answer is pretty clear. The increase in greenhouse gas emissions is likely to be the cause of global warming. Which can explain the melting of the ice caps. In any case, the fact is that the global sea level rise in 2000 was about 3 mm per year and in 2018 this has risen to 4.3 mm per year. For the Netherlands, the KNMI, based on the IPPC report, expects an increase of at least 28 and up to 83 cm in 2100. You might not think this shocking, but if you include the co-melting of all land ice it is very shocking, since this would add a another 80 meters!
When I sketched this image a few years ago, I was seen as a scaremonger. Now slowly the realization dawns that if we wish to keep the Netherlands in it’s current form for the long term (several hundred to a thousand years), climate change is key. The contribution of the Netherlands to the reduction of emissions may be limited, but in my opinion we have to set the example as a country whose existence is threatened by the rising of the sea level. In addition, we should focus on how we are going to convince others to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. In addition to propagating our role to set an example, our task is mainly to help other countries by sharing our technology. CCS Energie-advies is already very active in playing its part in this through our projects.
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28 February 2019 / Author: Dr. Ir. René Cornelissen
