THE HAGUE – When it comes to climate policy, don’t forget the Caribbean part of the Kingdom, is the poignant message from the Scientific Council for Government Policy (WWR) to the Rutte cabinet.
In the report ‘Justice in climate policy’ on the distribution of climate costs, the WRR emphasizes that the impact of climate change is greater in the Caribbean than in the European Netherlands. At the same time, the Council notes that the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement only apply to the European part of the Kingdom due to the actions of the Netherlands.
“A consequence of this is that the non-European part is excluded from climate objectives and cannot claim international financial support from these treaties. As part of the Kingdom, Curaçao, Aruba and Sint Maarten are not independently authorized to conclude treaties, such as the international climate agreements,” the report states.
“The Caribbean part of our Kingdom is also experiencing climate damage: extreme heat, drought and precipitation are increasing and therefore also the risk of scarcity, deterioration of quality of life and poverty,” said the WRR, which cites hurricane Irma as an example of vulnerability of the islands. “Many houses and other buildings have still not been repaired. Hurricane Irma shows that well-thought-out climate policy, including policy on preventing and repairing climate damage, is essential for the entire Kingdom of the Netherlands.”
The Caribbean parts of the Kingdom not only have no access to international funds, they are also not entitled to national funds. This even applies to the special municipalities of Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba, for which there is no place in the National Delta Program either. State Secretary Van Huffelen has promised, among other things, to open the SDE fund for sustainability to the (island) countries, but there seems to be little progress.
In the meantime, Greenpeace Netherlands is preparing a court case to force the Dutch government to take a more active interest in the consequences of climate change in the Caribbean. After the publication of an alarming report by VU scientists that large parts of Bonaire are at risk of being swallowed up by the sea in the course of this century, Minister for Climate and Energy Jetten has appointed a quartermaster to set up the Bonaire Climate Table. But his colleague Harbers from Infrastructure and Water Management does not yet give the impression that he takes the climate risks on the BES islands seriously.
Bron: Curacao Chronicle