The Netherlands must cut CO2 to protect the Caribbean island of Bonaire, a court rules
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On Wednesday, a court ordered the Dutch government to develop a plan to protect residents of the small Caribbean island of Bonaire from the damaging effects of climate change – a stunning victory for the islanders.
The Hague District Court, in a stunning rebuke of Dutch authorities, also ruled that the government discriminated against the island’s 20,000 inhabitants by not taking “timely and appropriate measures” to protect them from climate change before it was too late.
“The island is already suffering from floods due to tropical storms and heavy rain, and according to several researchers, this will get worse in the coming years. Even conservative forecasts predict that parts of the island will be under water by 2050, so in 25 years,” said Judge Jerzy Luiten in a packed court.
The court gave the Netherlands 18 months to implement a legally binding plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to zero by 2050, as agreed in international agreements.
The lawsuit brought by eight residents of Bonaire, and supported by the environmental group Greenpeace, sought to force the government to better protect its citizens from the effects of rising temperatures and sea level rise and could set a precedent for similar legal challenges elsewhere.
“The judges heard us,” said one of the residents, Jackie Bernabela.
“We are no longer second-class citizens. Equality. I am very happy,” he said in court, wiping tears from his eyes.
There was no immediate reaction from the government on the 90-page written decision. The government can appeal the decision.
Director of Greenpeace Netherlands Marieke Vellekoop said in a statement earlier that “it will be an important victory in history, if the court decision forces the State to take strong measures to protect people from bad weather and other effects of the climate.”
The case was heard in The Hague because Bonaire, along with two other islands, St. Eustatius and Saba, became special Dutch municipalities in 2010. The island’s 20,000 inhabitants are Dutch citizens based on their colonial history.
How the Netherlands argued with the citizens of Bonaire
Government lawyers say the Netherlands is already making efforts to combat climate change, citing greenhouse gas reductions and mitigation efforts. Government lawyer Edward Brans said that this matter should be handled by the national authorities and not by judges.
But the court ruled that the government’s efforts were insufficient, saying that the goal of reducing emissions by 55 percent by 2030 compared to 1990 levels was not binding and did not fully include emissions from air and sea transportation. The court also said that the Netherlands is “unlikely” to meet its 2030 targets.
