Greenpeace is suing the Dutch State on behalf of Bonaire
In the media image: Markus Spiske on Unsplash
Residents of Bonaire believe the Dutch government should do more to combat climate change on their island. On their behalf, Greenpeace is taking the Dutch State to court. External PhD candidate Sjoerd Lopik discussed the case on Dutch Radio 1.
The Netherlands is making preparations through various national programmes to arm itself against the consequences of climate change. Issues to address are the rise in sea level, desiccation and salinisation. Yet the Caribbean part of the Kingdom is not taken into account. It is precisely in that region that the effects of climate change are felt earlier and more acutely. That is why Greenpeace, on behalf of the islanders, is taking the Dutch State to court.
Why is this climate case so unique? ‘Climate justice is central to this case,' says Lopik. 'The inhabitants of Bonaire emitted much less per capita than the European part of the Netherlands. At the same time, they are the first to take the blows. The climate crisis is coming earlier and is more intense.' According to the PhD candidate, the case is not only about climate mitigation – reducing greenhouse gas emissions – but also about climate adaptation – making the country more resilient to the effects of climate change.
'If the plaintiffs win this case, the Netherlands will have to get to work on climate policy,' says Lopik. 'Unfortunately, the question is: will the Dutch government actually do that? In recent years, we've seen that compliance with environmental court rulings doesn't always go well. From a constitutional point of view, it's highly problematic if the government no longer listens to the courts.'
More information?
Listen to the full Radio 1 item (in Dutch)
Read the article in Follow the Money (€, in Dutch)