A Pyrrhic victory for the environmental clubs in the making
A sensational statement by Minister Bruins (VWS) last weekend about Formula 1 in Zandvoort: he stated that the cabinet will do everything it can to ensure that the race continues, despite the problems with nitrogen. According to the minister, Formula 1 should not be 'the victims' of the nitrogen crisis.
It is OIt is remarkable that the minister chooses to Like this to speak out about a specific project that is affected by the nitrogen impasse, while the entire construction and agricultural Netherlands yet is awaiting the advice of the Remkes Committee and the measures that the government will announce on this basis. The government has to exercise restraint and modesty when it comes to the Pas affair, something that the minister is not showing enough here.
This immediately shows how big the split is in the cabinet: the government knows that a ban on Formula 1 in Zandvoort will not only damage its own popularity among car- and racing-loving Netherlands. An additional problem is that the ban a large group of Dutch people at an even greater distance shall to make of (achieving) the climate goals and a constructive debate about them.
An open question (I have the answer yet not): are the environmental and other organizations that are taking this case to court doing the right thing to stop such a major source of popular entertainment? Bottom line, wouldn't it have been better for the environment to stay away from this specific sacred house? Then they might have gotten millions of Dutch people - who in turn represent a substantial support base of political parties that are important for law and policymaking - on board earlier. crucial future climate measures.
At De Issuemakers we advise organizations to communicate in a connecting rather than polarizing manner and to try to solve social issues such as coalitions or alliances. Civil society organizations, politics and the business community can work together very well (actually!) in such a setting. Take this to court choose the concerned parties for an opposite strategy. A strategy That it may turn out to be a Pyrrhic victory in the long term: the battle is won but the war is lost. Time will tell.
