The cabinet is planning to delay its target for cutting nitrogen-based emissions by five years, moving the deadline from 2030 to 2035, according to reports in the AD and the Telegraaf.

The newspapers say the proposed change is part of a set of recommendations by a ministerial commission, which are due to be presented to the cabinet on Friday. Current climate legislation requires the number of environmentally sensitive areas with excessive nitrogen levels to be halved by 2030.

However, agriculture minister Femke Wiersma is reportedly in favour of switching to a system that measures actual emissions rather than nitrogen deposits in the environment.

In 2022, the previous cabinet also floated the idea of delaying the deadline and changing definitions, prompting a political crisis at the time.

Changing the law would require a lengthy legal process. In the meantime, the government must continue working towards the 2030 target following a court ruling earlier this year.

In January, judges ordered the Dutch state to cut nitrogen pollution in the country’s most vulnerable natural habitats by 50% by 2030 or face a €10 million fine. The case was brought by campaign group Greenpeace.

The government is appealing against the decision.

Last year, the government’s environmental assessment agency PBL said the Netherlands is extremely unlikely to achieve its climate targets, and the likelihood is becoming more remote as time passes.

The current plans would make a reduction of 44% to 52% the maximum achievable, the PBL said in October, adding that no sectors are currently on target.

It also said the right-wing administration’s plans to increase motorway speed limits, scrap measures to reduce car use, make solar panels less attractive, and leave energy taxes unchanged will not help.