THE HAGUE, 03/01/03 - The leftwing Greens (GroenLinks) are the most nature-friendly of the parties running in national elections on 22 January. Labour (PvdA) comes second, the center-left (D66) third and the Socialist Party (SP) fourth, according to research by the Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM).

The RIVM's calculations show that another center-right Christian democrat (CDA)-conservative (VVD) coalition, possibly along with the Pim Fortuyn List (LPF) party, would not benefit nature. These parties want to invest less in national land purchasing, relax environmental pollution standards and make housing construction in open areas easier.

The GroenLinks election program is characterised by the principle that "the polluter pays," for example via an energy tax on industry, a tax on builders in open spaces, and a road-users' tax per kilometer driven. It plans to give the proceeds to those on low incomes.