Editing Economy of the Netherlands (section)

=== Natural gas ===
{{See also|Dutch disease}}
[[File:Natural gas NL.png|thumb|Natural gas concessions in the Netherlands. Today the Netherlands accounts for more than 25% of all Natural Gas reserves in the EU.]]
[[File:Wildervank natural gas field.jpg|thumb|250px|Station Wildervank of the Groningen natural gas field, which transformed the Netherlands economy after its discovery in 1959, leading to the theory of [[Dutch disease]]]]
The discovery of the large [[Groningen gas field|Groningen natural gas field]] in 1959 and the massive windfalls accrued over subsequent decades, were believed to have led to a decline in the manufacturing sector in the Netherlands,<ref name="The Economist pp. 82-83"/> leading to the theory of [[Dutch disease]].<ref name="vorige.nrc.nl"/>

While its [[oil reserves]] in the [[North Sea]] are of little importance, the Netherlands have an estimated 25% of natural gas reserves in the EU.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ebn.nl/oil-and-gas-in-the-netherlands/?lang=en|title=The hunt for gas and oil reserves that are more difficult to extract|publisher=EBN|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150907041804/https://www.ebn.nl/oil-and-gas-in-the-netherlands/?lang=en|archive-date=7 September 2015}}</ref> Natural gas reserves of the Netherlands are estimated (as of 2014) to be about 600 billion cubic feet,<ref>{{Cite report |date=2015 |url=https://www.ebn.nl/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/10171_EBNfocus_v5.pdf |title=Focus on Dutch Oil and Gas 2015 |publisher=EBN |page=10}}</ref> or about 0.3% of the world total. In 2014–2015 the government decided to reduce the production of gas in the province [[Groningen (province)|Groningen]] significantly due to problems of sinking ground, differential settlement levels and tremors (small earth quakes) causing damages to properties, end 2018 the government decided to completely abandon the gas production in the province of Groningen by reducing the production slightly each year, the production was expected to come to a halt entirely by 2028.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/jan/23/gas-field-earthquakes-put-netherlands-biggest-firms-on-extraction-notice | title=Gas field earthquakes put Netherlands' biggest firms on extraction notice | website=[[TheGuardian.com]] | date=23 January 2018 }}</ref> On June 23, 2023, the government decided to close the remaining five production facilities as of October 1, 2023. The possibility of reopening one or more facilities is being kept open, citing the uncertain international situation and possibly very cold weather as possible reasons for this. All wells will be permanently closed and dismantled as of October 1, 2024. <ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/actueel/nieuws/2023/06/23/gaswinning-groningen-stopt-per-1-oktober-2023 | title=Gaswinning Groningen stopt per 1 oktober 2023 | website=rijksoverheid.nl | date=23 June 2023 | language=nl }}</ref>

To reduce its [[greenhouse gas emissions|greenhouse emissions]], the government of the Netherlands is subsidizing a transition away from natural gas for all homes in the country by 2050.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.at5.nl/artikelen/186860/maandag-1000-uur-van-der-pekbuurt-gaat-als-eerste-wijk-van-het-aardgas-af-2 |date=1 October 2018 |title=Van der Pekbuurt gaat als eerste Amsterdamse wijk van het aardgas af |language=nl}}</ref> In the Netherlands, 98% of enterprises are reducing greenhouse gas emissions, beating the EU average of 89%. However, only 48% of Dutch firms set and monitor their own emission targets.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Bank |first=European Investment |url=https://www.eib.org/en/publications/20230340-econ-eibis-2023-netherlands |title=EIB Investment Survey 2023 - Netherlands overview |date=2024-01-31 |publisher=European Investment Bank |isbn=978-92-861-5684-7 |language=EN}}</ref> Dutch enterprises mostly cut emissions through waste reduction or recycling (86%), as well as energy efficiency programmes (76%).<ref>{{Cite book |last=Bank |first=European Investment |url=https://www.eib.org/en/publications/20230340-econ-eibis-2023-netherlands |title=EIB Investment Survey 2023 - Netherlands overview |date=2024-01-31 |publisher=European Investment Bank |isbn=978-92-861-5684-7 |language=EN}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=A Circular Economy in the Netherlands by 2050 |url=https://circulareconomy.europa.eu/platform/sites/default/files/17037circulaireeconomie_en.pdf}}</ref>

In the Netherlands, 78% of enterprises have invested in reducing [[Greenhouse gas emissions|carbon emissions]] and mitigating the impact of weather disasters as of 2023. Six out of ten (60%) plan to invest in these areas during the next three years. The numbers for 'already invested' and 'intend to invest' above the EU average (56% and 54%, respectively).<ref name=":193">{{Cite book |last=Bank |first=European Investment |url=https://www.eib.org/en/publications/20230340-econ-eibis-2023-netherlands |title=EIB Investment Survey 2023 - Netherlands overview |date=2024-01-31 |publisher=European Investment Bank |isbn=978-92-861-5684-7 |language=EN}}</ref> The largest invested is in trash reduction or recycling (86% of Dutch firms).<ref name=":1932">{{Cite book |last=Bank |first=European Investment |url=https://www.eib.org/en/publications/20230340-econ-eibis-2023-netherlands |title=EIB Investment Survey 2023 - Netherlands overview |date=2024-01-31 |publisher=European Investment Bank |isbn=978-92-861-5684-7 |language=EN}}</ref>

Dutch companies are more likely to see the transition to stronger climate laws as an opportunity (39% vs 23% from other European firms).<ref name=":1933">{{Cite book |last=Bank |first=European Investment |url=https://www.eib.org/en/publications/20230340-econ-eibis-2023-netherlands |title=EIB Investment Survey 2023 - Netherlands overview |date=2024-01-31 |publisher=European Investment Bank |isbn=978-92-861-5684-7 |language=EN}}</ref>