Environment/sustainability

Global oil demand showed signs of recovery in June as the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz—following a fragile, short-lived peace deal between the US and Iran—helped boost global supply by 4.1 million barrels per day to 98.8 million. The rebound included a record-breaking production high of 4.1 million barrels per day from the United Arab Emirates, though overall Gulf exports remain well below pre-war levels. However, the IEA warns that the market outlook has been clouded once again after US President Donald Trump declared the agreement over this week following renewed hostilities in the region.

The Dutch government is allocating €450 million from its Climate Fund to construct an underground hydrogen storage facility in Zuidwending, Groningen, adapting four existing salt caverns to hold the gas. Crucial for storing surplus wind and solar energy, the project leverages the area's existing natural gas infrastructure and expertise to accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels. By stepping in with state funding, the Cabinet is absorbing key financial risks—such as volatile "pillow gas" pricing, low initial capacity utilisation, and permitting delays—that have currently kept private investors at bay.

More than 3,500 people died during last week’s extreme heat in the Netherlands, according to RIVM. Mortality was around 480 deaths higher than expected, mainly among people aged 80 and older, with the largest impact in the east and south of the country.

Supermarkets warn that collecting dairy bottles under a deposit scheme could create hygiene risks, as leaking packaging may attract vermin. The government is considering extending deposits to dairy and juice bottles, and Verpact will present a separate collection plan later this year.

The Netherlands drew more of its oil and gas from the United States in 2025, with nearly a quarter of its supplies coming from there. The shift follows a steep drop in Russian imports after the invasion of Ukraine. CBS figures show that both the Netherlands and the EU have turned to countries such as Norway and the US to secure their energy needs.

A study by the World Weather Attribution group and the KNMI concludes that Europe's current heatwave is "unmistakably" driven by climate change, making today's extreme temperatures virtually impossible fifty years ago. Researchers found that a similar weather pattern in 1976 would have been about 3.5°C cooler, while the current stifling nights are now over a hundred times more likely than during the major 2003 heatwave due to fossil fuel emissions. With nearly half of 854 monitored European cities hitting their highest-ever heat stress levels, Red Cross and climate experts warn of a dangerous gap between rapid global warming and infrastructure that simply wasn't built to withstand it.

The Dutch government has introduced emergency legislation requiring the industry and transport sectors to halve their nitrogen emissions by 2035 compared to 2019 levels, backed by a €250 million funding package. The one-off investment splits €125 million toward curbing pollution in shipping, road traffic, and construction through measures like electrification, with the other €125 million targeting industrial plants near vulnerable nature reserves. Relying on existing frameworks like the European CO2 emissions trading system to help drive down nitrogen oxides and ammonia, the Cabinet warned that additional regulatory measures will be enforced if these sectors—alongside agriculture, which faces a separate 42% to 46% reduction target—fail to meet the benchmarks.

The KNMI has issued a yellow weather warning for Saturday evening as severe thunderstorms are forecast to sweep across the entire Netherlands, bringing a turbulent end to a record-breaking heatwave. The weather institute warns of localized damage and disruption from torrential downpours, large hailstones up to five centimetres in size, and destructive wind gusts reaching up to 100 kilometres per hour. The sudden shift in weather follows an amber alert for extreme heat, which saw Friday officially recorded as the hottest 26 June in Dutch history.