Investments to curb climate change fell slightly in 2024
Cet article n’est pas disponible en français. Affichage en anglais.
In 2024, the Netherlands spent nearly 40 billion euros to combat climate change. That is 2.3 billion euros less than in 2023. This was mainly because less money was spent on new solar energy, wind energy, and heat pumps.
This was reported by Statistics Netherlands (Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek, CBS). Most of the decline was due to lower investment in renewable energy. Those investments fell from 10.1 billion euros in 2023 to 5.5 billion euros in 2024.
Slightly less money was also spent on improving the energy efficiency of buildings and factories. However, more money was invested in energy networks, low-carbon transport, and other climate projects. The energy network in particular received more investment, rising from 5.9 billion euros in 2023 to 8.0 billion euros in 2024.
This was, for example, to expand and strengthen the electricity grid. Investment in solar and wind energy in particular declined, from 7.2 billion euros in 2023 to 3.3 billion euros in 2024. One reason is that people are uncertain about new rules concerning, for example, solar panels.
Slightly more was invested in transport than last year. Approximately the same amount was spent on electric and hybrid cars as in 2023: nearly 11.8 billion euros. However, more money was spent on charging stations, rising from 610 million to 900 million euros.
Households spent less money on climate measures. Their investments declined, mainly because less money was spent on solar panels and heat pumps. Businesses invested the most: 26.9 billion euros in both 2023 and 2024.
Businesses in the services sector, such as shops and banks, invested a combined 14.7 billion euros. Energy companies invested 9.4 billion euros, while the manufacturing sector spent 2.8 billion euros. The differences between 2023 and 2024 were small in these areas.
Energy companies invested more in networks and less in clean energy. In the services sector, most of the money went to sustainable transport, such as clean buses and trucks. The government spent slightly more than last year—1.9 billion euros—mainly on roads and public transport.
The government also supports businesses and households with subsidies for, for example, solar panels and heat pumps.