Deep-rooted values clash in climate-related conflicts: the Role of Religious-based and Religious-inspired Worldview Ideas in the Dutch Climate-related Conflict about Agriculture, Nature, and Nitrogen

Climate change is noticeable worldwide and can intensify conflicts, which are then climate-related. These conflicts have been studied extensively outside Europe, but not within it. By studying the Dutch nitrogen crisis, I demonstrate that Europe also experiences climate-related conflicts. However, due to the structure of society, these conflicts present themselves differently and have a longer onset than previously studied conflicts.
In addition, I use a case study to show that the nitrogen conflict is climate-related and that religious worldviews about humans, animals, nature, and society clash. This case study consists of two parts. The first part is a desk study that highlights the different policy areas within the nitrogen crisis and shows that these areas—Natura 2000, water quality, manure, and agriculture—are based on different worldviews. The neoliberal worldview of agriculture clashes with the postmodern worldview of Natura 2000, leading to conflict.
The second part describes the clash between dairy farmers and political parties in the period June 2022 - July 2023. Through topic interviews, I collected data from thee confessional and three green political parties,17 dairy farmers in the Reformed Christian Gelderse Vallei/Veluwe region, and 15 dairy farmers in the Catholic Noordoost Twente region. I mapped their worldviews using a worldview analysis and described how they make sense of the nitrogen crisis.
The results show that dairy farmers combine a religious worldview with a neoliberal worldview concerning agriculture. Political parties tend to adopt a single worldview and deny the duality among farmers, making these dairy farmers feel they are not being heard. This shows that religious beliefs about humans, nature, and animals clash in the climate-related conflict over agriculture, nature, and nitrogen.