Dutch government ordered to protect Bonaire residents from climate change, court rules

The Dutch government must take stronger measures to protect Bonaire’s residents from the effects of climate change. The State is also required to set “clear, binding targets” for reducing greenhouse gas emissions within the next 18 months, in accordance with the Paris Climate Agreement. The district court in The Hague has partially ruled in favor of Greenpeace’s demands.

Greenpeace sued the Dutch government, calling for stronger protections for Bonaire’s residents against climate change. The organization also urged the Netherlands to reach climate neutrality sooner, ideally by 2030, or at the latest by 2040, but the court rejected this request.

The court highlighted that Bonaire’s location in the Caribbean has long made it especially vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. While the judges criticized the Dutch government for doing too little over the years, they acknowledged that since 2023, the government has been making efforts to catch up.

The judges ruled that the government fell short in applying measures in Bonaire compared to the European Netherlands. This delay and inconsistency, they say, amount to a breach of the anti-discrimination law. They found "no valid justification for why residents of Bonaire received measures later and in a less organized manner."

The government is required to create an adaptation plan that addresses Bonaire’s needs, with full implementation scheduled no later than 2030.

In court, the State Advocate had presented the agreed climate targets as goals to strive for. The judge has now decided that it must be made explicit that these targets are legally binding. The government is also required to set the remaining "budget" for greenhouse gas emissions.

The Cabinet has described the court’s ruling as a firm decision. A spokesperson for the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management said the government takes the judgment very seriously. The ministry said it will first review the court’s decision before outlining what measures the State intends to take next.

Greenpeace described the verdict as a historic win. “People on Bonaire are finally being acknowledged as victims of discrimination by the government, which must protect them from extreme heat and rising sea levels,” said Marieke Vellekoop, director of Greenpeace Netherlands.

Vellekoop said: “This is a major breakthrough. Current climate policy is insufficient, and the Cabinet can no longer get away with failing climate policy.” According to her, the ruling could not have come at a better time. “This means it must be on the formation table as early as tonight.”