Eight residents of the Dutch-Caribbean island Bonaire, together with Greenpeace Netherlands, filed a lawsuit against the Dutch State today.
Bonaire, a former Dutch colony, has been a special Dutch municipality since 2010. The plaintiffs claim the Dutch government is violating their human rights by not taking sufficient measures to protect the inhabitants of the low-lying island of Bonaire from the effects of the climate crisis.
This is stated in the summons delivered today to the District Court in The Hague. On Bonaire, several of the plaintiffs and Greenpeace Netherlands announced the news during a press conference in Kralendijk.
Climate justice
The plaintiffs point out that the residents of Bonaire have witnessed for a long time that the Dutch State has not taken any measures to ensure their island is safe and remains habitable in the future. Despite several talks between the plaintiffs and the government in recent months, this did not lead to sufficient commitments from the government.
Danique Martis, 25, a social worker and one of the plaintiffs said: “The Caribbean Netherlands has been forgotten for too long. There are plans in place to protect the European Netherlands against sea-level rise and other consequences of the climate crisis, but for Bonaire this is not yet the case. It saddens me to see how, despite knowing their responsibility, the Dutch government has chosen to push our right to safety aside. For this reason, we are going to the court, so they have no choice but to act. ”
Summons
The summons contains two demands:
- The Dutch government must make plans and take concrete measures, developed together with inhabitants, to protect Bonaire from the consequences of climate change.
- The Netherlands must do their fair share to keep global warming below 1.5°C degrees celsius and therefore reduce carbon emissions faster. Ten years earlier than in current plans. The Netherlands must reach zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040 at the latest.
The Dutch government must take measures to protect the islanders’ human rights, specifically their right to life and to respect private and family life. So that Bonairians can continue to live on the island and pass on their traditions and culture to their children. Judmar Emerenciana, 25, a graphic designer who is also a plaintiff in the case said: “We are at risk of losing our culture. I don’t want the slave huts to end up underwater, with us thinking in the future, ‘We could have prevented this’.”
Protest march in The Hague
Several dozen people, including representatives of the Caribbean diaspora and the climate movement, are holding a symbolic protest march in The Hague today. They walk from the Prime Minister’s office to the District Court, where the summons is delivered. There will be speeches along the way. The demonstrators carry protest signs and a banner reading ‘We demand justice – Climate Case Bonaire’.
