Minister Micky Adriaansens of Economic Affairs and Climate has appointed Mark Verheijen as the cluster director for Chemelot. His primary task is to accelerate the sustainability efforts in the Dutch industry by overseeing projects and resolving issues among companies, government entities, and network operators concerning investments in energy infrastructure.
Verheijen emphasizes the need to replace fossil raw materials with reusable plastic, waste, and biomass while maintaining the industry in the Netherlands. He will stimulate decision-making, uncover interdependencies within organizations, and work on fostering trust between companies and the government, which continually adjusts its objectives.
Working alongside four other cluster directors, Verheijen will focus on various industrial regions, including North Netherlands, North Sea Canal Area, Zeeland-West-Brabant, and Rotterdam-Moerdijk, to promote sustainability and drastically reduce CO2 emissions. The total CO2 reduction of 14.5 megatons by 2030 is now within reach, equivalent to over 90% of the targets for the largest industrial emitters. Verheijen and his fellow directors will act as bridge builders between all involved parties and The Hague, assisting in resolving bottlenecks to expedite sustainability efforts.