Sean van Beek

Abstract: The thesis investigates the role of natural gas within Dutch climate policy, particularly in relation to the bridge fuel narrative. It addresses the concern that misinterpretations of this narrative could lock countries into carbon-intensive trajectories, which contradicts with the goals of the Paris Agreement to phase out fossil fuels by 2050. This research aim to address the gap in knowledge on the implications of using natural gas for an inclusive energy transition, and answer the question: How does natural gas as a bridge fuel contribute to an inclusive phase-out of fossil fuels, paying special attention to role of the bridge fuel narrative within climate policy. A case study of The Netherlands has been conducted. By means on an extensive literature review, followed by a policy analysis of Dutch climate policy, and semi-structures interviews with experts within the energy transition, the research concludes that there is a high risk that lock-in mechanism, resulting from the use of natural gas as a bridge fuel, hamper an inclusive transition away from fossil fuels, because of three reasons. (1) The role of natural gas as a bridge fuel is growing within Dutch climate policy, serving to phase out coal, ensure energy security, and act as a stepping stone towards cleaner gases like green gas and hydrogen. (2) The Netherlands is locked in to natural gas across all three dimensions of a carbon lock-in. (3) The current approach to using natural gas as a bridge fuel is not inclusive, as it fails to meet the social, ecological, and relational principles of inclusive development while bridging towards a total fossil fuel phase-out in the long term. In order to move towards a more inclusive transition, Dutch climate policy should adopt a comprehensive and strategic approach that avoids reversing previous attempts to phase out natural gas and increases capacity to tackle non-compliance by the largest emitters.