Schiphol receives nature permit

Today, the Minister for Nature and Nitrogen Policy grated Schiphol Airport a nature permit. Schiphol now has a permit for 440,000 to a maximum of 500,000 flights. Schiphol requested the permit on 1 October 2020 and that request has been added to several times since then.

This is a significant step, as getting this permit means we are complying with current laws and regulations again. It also demonstrates that Schiphol satisfies the requirements of the Nature Conservation Act. This provides certainty for us and for our surrounding environment. Furthermore, the permit enables the government to introduce new policies for Schiphol, such as an Airport Traffic Decree containing a new approach with hard environmental and noise limits for the aviation industry.

We want such a system to be in place as soon as possible, but in 2025-2026 at the latest. We therefore call on the government to come up with a legally anchored system in which the means (the number of flight movements) is no longer the guiding principle, but rather the goal (structurally less nuisance and emissions, in line with the Paris Climate Agreement). This is how we can achieve a better balance between our activities and the needs of the local environment and our employees, as well as contribute to global climate goals.