The organisation bases its claim on a survey commissioned by the European Commission.

Holland also tops the list in terms of the damage caused by pollution to health, to agriculture and to nature, says the group.

The Netherlands will spend ‘just over one euro per citizen’ on combating the effects of environmental damage in the coming years, says the group.

But it pointed out that much more should be spent because in such a densely populated country as the Netherlands (484 people per square kilometre) costs can be kept relatively low. “The advantages of investments are 80 times higher than the costs,” says the environmental organisation.