As a small, densely populated country with a very open economy, the Netherlands became a forerunner in environmental policy decades ago when it was confronted with acute environmental pressures. More recently, the government has reined in ambitions for environmental policy objectives to levels set by the European Union (EU), with a view to promoting a level playing field. Given its strong track record, it may be tempting for the Dutch government to wait and let other countries catch up in areas where it is already doing well. But, the country still faces some persistent environmental challenges, including addressing diffuse pollution (such as nitrogen deposition in nature areas) and securing significant improvements in the quality of ecosystems and biodiversity, and new issues continue to emerge.