• Ar
  • Es
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Feature
  • Videos
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Feature
Videos
Infographs
In Pictures
  1. Home
  2. News
  3. Europe
  4. Farmers protest in Brussels against govt environmental plans
Europe

Farmers protest in Brussels against govt environmental plans

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 3 Mar 18:37
  • 1 Shares

As the Belgian government is seeking to lower greenhouse gas emissions, farmers are taking to the streets to protest against its policies.

  • Farmers with their tractors block traffic on the inner ring road of Brussels, during a demonstration, March 3, 2023 (AP Photo)
    Farmers with their tractors block traffic on the inner ring road of Brussels, during a demonstration, March 3, 2023 (AP Photo)

An estimated 2,700 tractors blocked roads in the Belgian capital of Brussels on Friday as farmers from the Flanders region took to the streets to protest against moves to cut nitrogen emissions.

The slow-moving vehicles closed central thoroughfares as they were going through Brussels while beeping their horns and carrying var

"No future without farmers," read one of the banners.

Flemish farmers are pushing against a pro-environmentalist effort by the government of their Dutch-speaking region aimed at cutting nitrogen emissions from fertilizers and livestock.

Both livestock waste and the production and use of nitrogen fertilizers are huge contributors to greenhouse emissions, and the government is seeking to slash their use, drawing the ire of the agricultural industry.

The sector says it would be terribly affected by the move that might see certain farms that are deemed too polluting forced to close.

The debate surrounding the situation is threatening to split the ruling coalition in the Flanders region lying in northern Belgium.

Moreover, the farmers are pushing for the regional government to unlock subsidies from the European Union to their industry, which have so far been held up.

Similar protests broke out across the border in the Netherlands in August 2022 after Dutch farmers failed to reach an agreement with the government regarding environmental plans that sparked outrage due to their negative impact on the farming industry.

The biggest Dutch farmers association LTO presented a ‘joint message’ to the cabinet in today's meeting with government mediator Johan Remkes.

Twenty farming organizations were invited to the talks, which were also attended by prime minister Mark Rutte and farm minister Henk Staghouwer, marking the first sit-down meeting between the two sides since the farmers’ protests erupted weeks earlier in June.

Crowds of tractors have been seen in front of the distribution centers of large supermarket chains across the Netherlands since June 10.

The dispute is also over a law aimed at slashing greenhouse emissions, with a new law imposing reductions of around 30 to 70% in 131 agricultural areas in order to reduce polluting emissions by half by 2030. Only 24.3 billion euros would be allocated to help farmers.

  • The Netherlands
  • Belgium
  • European Union
  • Greenhouse gases

Trending Now

All
Rich EU consumers 'outsource' environmental impact to poorer neighbors

Rich EU consumers 'outsource' environmental impact to poorer neighbors

Most Read

Indonesian president Joko Widodo during an interview in Jakarta in 2016 (Reuters)

Widodo urges Indonesia to abandon Visa, MasterCard to be 'independent'

  • Asia
  • 16 Mar
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen listens to opening remarks before testifying before the Senate Finance Committee about the President's proposed budget request for the fiscal year 2024, Thursday, March 16, 2023, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP)

US Debt ceiling ‘must be raised’ ahead of default: Treasury Secretary

  • US & Canada
  • 16 Mar
Rallies held in Washington DC to protest US militarism

Peace rallies held in Washington DC to protest US militarism

  • US & Canada
  • 18 Mar
Poland

Poland may end up 'joining' Ukraine war: Polish Ambassador to France

  • Europe
  • 20 Mar

Read this

All
In this picture released by an official website of the office of the Iranian leader, Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei makes a public address at the northeastern city of Mashhad, Iran, March 21, 2023 (Office of the Iranian leader via AP)
Asia

US sparked Ukraine war to expand NATO: Iranian leader Sayyed Khamenei

  • Today
Iraqi Army M1A1 Abrams tanks, purchased from the US, maneuver during a live fire exercise outside Baghdad, Iraq, October 18, 2011 (AP)
Europe

US expediting delivery of M1A1 Abrams tanks, Patriot system to Ukraine

  • 21 Mar
A general view of the illegal Israeli settlement of 'Efrat' in the occupied West Bank, occupied Palestine, January 30, 2023 (AP)
Palestine

'Israel' repeals law that sanctioned four West Bank settlements

  • 21 Mar
Russia, China sign joint statement on deepening strategic partnership
Europe

Russia, China sign joint statement on deepening strategic partnership

  • 21 Mar
Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS