ORANJESTAD – The Ombudsman of Aruba explicitly places the recent climate court ruling concerning Bonaire within a broader context of rights protection and living conditions in the Caribbean part of the Kingdom. According to the Ombudsman, the ruling confirms that the right to a safe and healthy living environment is a concrete and enforceable standard.
The catalyst is the verdict by The Hague District Court in the climate case brought by Bonaire residents and Greenpeace against the Dutch State. The court mandates the State to legally establish binding climate targets within eighteen months and to develop and implement a concrete protection and adaptation plan for Bonaire by 2030 at the latest.
According to the Ombudsman, the ruling emphasizes that residents of Caribbean Netherlands are entitled to the same protection as inhabitants of European Netherlands. The court bases its decision on the European Convention on Human Rights and states that insufficient protection against foreseeable and serious climate and environmental risks may lead to violations of fundamental rights.
The Ombudsman points out that the ruling pertains not only to climate policy but also to broader questions regarding equal treatment, non-discrimination, and government responsibility within the Kingdom. In this context, reference is made to previous concerns about the living environment on Bonaire, including the situation surrounding the waste dump near Lagun.
According to the Ombudsman, the ruling makes clear that differences in protection between European and Caribbean Netherlands can no longer be taken for granted and that governments are obligated to take timely and appropriate measures to protect residents.
