The Netherlands Emerges from the Nitrogen Crisis
How can we really solve the nitrogen problem?
The nitrogen issue has been a major concern in the Netherlands for years. But how can we find solutions that are both scientifically sound and practically feasible?
On Tuesday 13 October, KIVI Landelijk, together with Kring Rotterdam and the specialist sections for Technology, Society and Energy; Philosophy and Technology; and Sustainable Technology, is organising the nitrogen symposium:
“How can we really solve the nitrogen problem?”
The symposium will take place at KIVI’s head office at Prinsessegracht 23 in The Hague and will run from 1.00 pm to 9.00 pm. A second symposium will follow on Monday 2 November, during which the topic will be explored in greater depth from different perspectives.
It is no coincidence that engineers are organising this symposium. Engineers bridge the gap between science and practice. They translate scientific insights into technically feasible and effective solutions, based on verifiable facts. It is precisely when dealing with complex societal issues such as the nitrogen problem that this combination of analysis, facts and solution-oriented thinking is indispensable.
Programme
| Time | Programme | Description | Speaker |
| 12:00 | Arrival & Lunch | Arrival & Lunch | |
| 13:00 | Opening | Aim of the day | Eef Smits |
| 13:15 | What is dialogue? |
| Arie Quik |
| 13:30 | Ideological polarisation (David Hume’s ‘IS-OUGHT’ gap) | Defining via what is (IS) Defining via how it ought to be (OUGHT) How do you get from IS to OUGHT: via values. Value-driven debate, and therefore ideological debate. | Henk Jan vd Brink (philosopher of technology) |
| 13:45 | Definitions of nature | Establishing an empirical framework: 1. Feasible definitions 2. Empirical observation 3. Causal pressure factors 4. Effective measures 5. Scientific assessment | Irene van der Marel (natural and environmental scientist) |
| 14:05 | Documentary | Assessing what is happening based on typical species, structure and function. | Announcement by Eef |
| 15:00 | Speaker | Analysis: how is nature faring? | Ecologist |
| 15:20 | Dialogue | Leading technical and scientific discussions in the hall | Jeroen Grond |
| 15:50 | Break | ||
| 16:15 | Speaker | Causal risk factors | Ronald Meester |
| 16:35 | Speaker | Causal evidence | Wim de Vries |
| 16:55 | Dialogue | Multidisciplinary. Empirical dialogue on causal pressure factors | Jeroen Grond |
| 17:30 | Break | Sandwiches and drinks | |
| 18:30 | Speaker | Timeline in Environmental Thought Negative future expectations regarding the environment, nature and biodiversity – when and how did this come about? | Jaffe Vink |
| 19:00 | Theatre performance | Reflections on the significance of agricultural technology (artificial fertilisers, pesticides, plant breeding, animal breeding). | THE GANG OF PROGRESS |
| 8.00 pm | Outro | After-show discussion | Eef Smits |
| 9.00 pm | End |
*Please indicate during registration whether you wish to have lunch, so that no food needs to be thrown away. You are not permitted to bring your own packed lunches.
First part of three days of debates
The KIVI and a group of engineers from Wageningen intend to try to reverse this trend through a series of symposia to be organised. They plan to do this by, at the very least, listening respectfully to other views and working together to define how specific measures can lead to a Netherlands where many people collaborate to solve this shared problem.
In this first symposium, the emphasis is on ‘What are we actually talking about?’ and ‘What do we actually want?’
What we aim to do in this symposium – using the construction of a house as a metaphor – is to go back to the foundations, lay them bare and describe them, identify the building blocks, and then, floor by floor, rebuild them together into a well-designed house.
Why not sign up for the follow-up sessions too?
| 2 November 2026 | February 2027 |
| Link to event | Link to event |