Dutch Government Moves to Ban Fossil Fuel Subsidies, Meeting the Core Demand of XR Netherlands

On September 9, 2023, Extinction Rebellion Netherlands launched a sustained wave of disruptive protest, vowing to block the key A12 highway leading into the Hague every day until their demand was met. Day after day, thousands of protesters kept coming back to execute the blockades, leading to over 9,000 arrests. Despite extensive use of water cannons against the protesters, the disruptions remained joyful.

After 27 days, faced with this incredible pressure, the Dutch government finally capitulated. On October 10, the Dutch parliament ordered a plan for phasing out fossil fuel subsidies; in addition, the Dutch environmental minister is now calling for the EU to phase out fossil fuel subsidies as well!

We believe these protests were the largest act of civil disobedience in the history of the climate movement, and they resulted in the first ever ban on fossil fuel subsidies in the Global North, an unprecedented victory in the fight against climate breakdown. Climate Emergency Fund was proud to provide critical support for the recruitment and onboarding efforts that allowed Extinction Rebellion Netherlands to turn out such huge numbers, and we plan to continue to provide support as XR Netherlands enters its next exciting chapter.