Dutch government discriminated against Bonaire residents over climate adaptation, court rules

A Hague court found the Dutch government discriminated against people on Bonaire by failing to prepare climate adaptation measures, and ordered a concrete adaptation plan plus a national carbon budget and interim emission targets to be set within six months.

The Hague court has ruled that the Dutch government discriminated against people on the Caribbean island of Bonaire by not providing adequate support for climate adaptation. The judgment said the state treated residents of Bonaire differently from those in the European Netherlands and breached articles 8 and 14 of the European Convention on Human Rights. The court noted that Bonaire faces risks such as sea-level rise and extreme heat and that local authorities lack sufficient resources and expertise. It ordered the government to produce a concrete adaptation plan and to strengthen national greenhouse gas commitments. Key facts: - The court accepted Greenpeace Nederland's claim as an organisation and found state discrimination, while complaints brought by individuals were not upheld. - The judgment held the Netherlands to be breaching articles 8 and 14 of the European Convention on Human Rights (respect for private and family life; prohibition of discrimination). - The state was ordered to prepare a concrete adaptation plan for Bonaire and was given six months to set a national carbon budget aligned with a 1.5C threshold and to establish legally binding interim emission targets. - The Dutch government acknowledged Bonaire's climate risks, said it would review the ruling with relevant ministries, and the decision can be appealed. Summary: The ruling requires the Netherlands to develop a formal adaptation plan for Bonaire and to set a transparent national carbon budget and interim targets within six months. It frames unequal treatment of people in an overseas territory as a human-rights issue and signals legal expectations for how climate responsibilities are addressed across the country. The government has said it will review the judgment and may pursue an appeal.