Finance
Court orders Dutch to do more to mitigate climate change impact on Bonaire island
Published by Global Banking and Finance Review
Posted on January 28, 2026
2 min readLast updated: January 28, 2026
Quick Summary
A Dutch court has mandated the Netherlands to set binding emissions targets for Bonaire, aiming for net zero by 2050, following a Greenpeace lawsuit.
Dutch Court Mandates Climate Action for Bonaire Island Residents
Legal Ruling on Climate Change Obligations
By Stephanie van den Berg
Background of the Case
THE HAGUE, Jan 28 (Reuters) - A Dutch court ruled on Wednesday that the state must set binding greenhouse gas emissions targets to reach net zero by 2050 to protect the Dutch-Caribbean island of Bonaire.
Impact on Bonaire Residents
The court gave the Netherlands 18 months to set up a legally binding plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050 as agreed in international treaties.
Court's Findings and Recommendations
Legal experts say the case, brought by environmental group Greenpeace on behalf of Bonaire residents, is one of the first to test climate obligations on a national level set in a landmark 2024 European climate ruling and last year's influential World Court advisory opinion.
In hearings last October, Bonaire residents told The Hague district court that climate change had made life on the island unbearably hot and dry and this had affected crops and the health of islanders.
Bonaire, in the southern Caribbean, is a former Dutch colony and became a special Dutch municipality in 2010. It has around 20,000 inhabitants who are Dutch citizens.
The court ruled that Dutch national climate plans do not sufficiently address problems in the Dutch Caribbean, and the Netherlands would now need to make a separate plan for how to mitigate the effects of climate change and rising sea levels on Bonaire.
The court added that the Netherlands had violated the human rights of the citizens of Bonaire and discriminated against them by not making separate climate plans for the island.
"There is no good reason why, for the inhabitants of Bonaire, who will be hit by climate change earlier and more severely, there were late and less systematic measures than for inhabitants of the European part of the Netherlands," presiding Judge Jerzy Luiten said.
Bonaire resident Jackie Bernabela, who was at the court for the ruling, wiped tears from her eyes after the verdict. "We are no longer second-class citizens. (We have) equality. I am very happy," she told reporters.
(Reporting by Stephanie van den Berg; Editing by Benoit Van Overstraeten and Mark Heinrich)
Key Takeaways
- •Dutch court orders binding emissions targets for Bonaire.
- •Netherlands must achieve net zero by 2050.
- •Greenpeace brought the case on behalf of Bonaire residents.
- •Case tests European and World Court climate rulings.
- •Significant implications for Dutch climate policy.
Frequently Asked Questions about Court orders Dutch to do more to mitigate climate change impact on Bonaire island
1What is climate change?
Climate change refers to significant changes in global temperatures and weather patterns over time, primarily driven by human activities such as burning fossil fuels, deforestation, and industrial processes.
2What are greenhouse gas emissions?
Greenhouse gas emissions are gases that trap heat in the atmosphere, contributing to the greenhouse effect. Common examples include carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O).
