The Netherlands is longing for decisive long-term policy. We see around us every day how high the costs are of postponing problems. We can no longer afford this political procrastination.
The challenges are known and enormous. We must: 1. contain climate change, restore biodiversity and stop pollution; 2. manage population growth and aging and learn to deal with migration; 3. investing in people to be ready for the digital revolutions, such as the rise of AI; 4. defend our safe, free world with Europe and NATO; 5. combating social discontent; 6. Break through political powerlessness and get the government performing again. These are the six most important reasons why we as a country must take action now.
About the authors
Netherlands 2040 is an initiative of the Association of Dutch Municipalities and De Argumentenfabriek. See below for the full list of signatories.
This is a submitted contribution, which does not necessarily reflect the position of de Volkskrant. Read more about our policy regarding opinion pieces here.
Previous contributions to this discussion can be found at the bottom of this article.
The people who will soon sit at the formation table will have to make ‘painful choices’ with a view to the long term. You hear a lot of politicians say this now. What they need for this is a shared story about the future of our country, a vision of the future that is realistic, guiding and hopeful. As Think Tank Netherlands 2040, we have already done the necessary work. We would like to summarize that here.
Japanese level
The Netherlands of 2040 that we see before us is more powerful, greener and more human than today. More powerful means that we will be doing well economically in 2040. We invest structurally in people, knowledge, innovation and infrastructure. Public transport in Europe is of ‘Japanese’ or high standard.
The Netherlands has then changed from a ‘low-wage country’ to a ‘high-productive high-wage country’. Thanks to the use of technology, labor productivity has increased. Industries that rely on cheap labor no longer exist. Poorly paid work in greenhouses, slaughterhouses and distribution centers is a thing of the past.
The Netherlands excels in digital knowledge, skills and agility. Society knows how to effectively prevent existential security risks. We have a government that excels in simplicity and effectiveness and that offers citizens and companies clear frameworks to make long-term investments.
European immigration policy manages to maintain a balance between the interests of the immigrant, the country of origin and the European interest. In 2040, the European Union will be one of the world’s four major economic power blocs, alongside China, India and the US. In a European context, the Netherlands contributes to global peace, security and prosperity.
Harmony with nature
In addition to being more powerful, the Netherlands is also quieter, cleaner and greener. Greener means that in 2040 we will be living and working in harmony with nature. We live ‘in the green’, also in cities and villages. We have more trees, plants and water around us. Our energy supply will be completely climate neutral by 2040.
Our production and consumption are more sustainable. We consume very differently than we do now. By pricing – polluting products become more expensive – and standardizing, cheap, low-quality products have made way for higher-quality items that last a long time, are easy to repair and whose raw materials are smartly reused. We also spend relatively more money on intangible things, such as sports, music and culture.
We eat less meat and dairy and we waste less food. Food that is bad for people or the environment is relatively more expensive. Agriculture has played a leading role in the necessary restoration of landscape zones and nature reserves. Economic growth is sustainable growth, within planetary boundaries. More space for greenery and water means that we can cope with the consequences of climate change.
Subsistence security
The Netherlands will also be more human in 2040. More human means that we live in a caring society, in which we have time and attention for each other. Where we invest in what makes young people flourish and where everyone can count on broad social security.
The quality of our public facilities will be better than ever in 2040. Thanks to ‘the great simplification’ of the government apparatus, everyone can participate again. Digitalization and artificial intelligence have done the rest. Taxes, judiciary, integration, health care, disability: all systems are so clear, simple and user-friendly that almost anyone can work with them.
The health care system will be a health system in 2040. Detailed performance funding has been abolished. Unnecessary treatments hardly occur anymore. Healthcare providers have time for their patients again. Thanks to digitalization and artificial intelligence, healthcare providers now spend virtually no time on administration in practice. We spend relatively more money on health promotion and health protection and less on healthcare consumption.
No more bogeyman
Thanks to the major simplification of the tax system, our tax authorities will once again be among the top in Europe in 2040. The allowance system has been abolished, tax credits and deductions have been limited and simplified. The tax system is simpler and more effective than ever. The tax authorities are no longer a bogeyman that issues fines, but a friendly and effective service provider that thanks taxpayers annually for their contributions. We live in a country in which clear civic duties are also matched by clear civil rights.
More powerful, greener, more human. Can the Netherlands really look like this in 2040? Yes, that’s possible. Take a look at www.toekomstnederland2040.nl. The condition is that choices are made now. We will further concretize this first step in the coming months. We invite everyone to submit ideas for this. Because what we need as a society is a coherent long-term policy, based on a clear shared vision of the future. The costs of doing nothing any longer are too high.
On behalf of the Think Tank Netherlands 2040:
Yasmin Ait Abderrahman
Rania Ali
Barbara Baarsma
Johan Bac
Karima Bouchtaoui
Ronnie van Diemen
Sharon Dijksma
Marja Elsinga
Leonard Luck
Aart Jan de Geus
Mariette Hamer
Marcel Jakobsen
Frank Kalshoven
Michelle Kames
Wouter Koolmees
Rem Korteweg
Bernard Leenstra
Peter van Lieshout
Martin van Rijn
Daan Roovers
Kimberley Snijders
Dion van Steensel
Marienne Verhoef
Isis van der Wel
Rob De Wijk
Jan van Zanen
Vinzenz Ziesemer
Willemijn van der Zwaard
Would you like to respond? Send an opinion contribution (max 700 words) to opinion@volkskrant.nl or a letter
(maximum 200 words) to letter@volkskrant.nl