Earlier this year, a Dutch court ruled that the Netherlands must do more to protect Bonaire from the impacts of climate change. The case, brought by residents of the island together with Greenpeace Netherlands, argued that the Dutch government had failed to adequately safeguard one of its own municipalities against rising climate risks.
Residents from Bonaire have long warned that climate change is already affecting everyday life on the island. One farmer travelled thousands of miles to tell judges how rising temperatures and prolonged drought are impacting his livelihood and reducing crop yields. The ruling confirmed what many island communities have been warning about for years: climate change is no longer a distant threat for Bonaire.
What is at stake goes far beyond rising sea levels or temperature increases. It is about ecosystems that may disappear, livelihoods that come under pressure, and cultural heritage that could be lost forever.
Bonaire is part of the Netherlands, yet it stands on the frontline of climate change. While climate policy is often discussed in abstract terms, emission targets, adaptation strategies and international agreements, the consequences on the island are increasingly visible. Extreme heat, prolonged drought and the degradation of coral reefs are beginning to reshape both the landscape and everyday life.
The scale of these risks is outlined in the report The impacts of climate change on Bonaire, conducted by researchers from the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and commissioned by Greenpeace. The study models several climate scenarios and shows how climate change could transform the island over the coming decades. Without substantial intervention, ecosystems will continue to deteriorate, coastal flooding risks will increase and key sectors of the island’s economy may face serious challenges.
Ecosystems under pressure
Bonaire is internationally known for its natural environment. Coral reefs surrounding the island are biodiversity hotspots, but they also play a crucial role: they act as natural breakwaters that reduce the force of waves and protect the coastline. Yet these ecosystems are increasingly under pressure. Rising ocean temperatures cause coral bleaching, weakening the reefs and making them more vulnerable to collapse. As coral structures degrade, the habitats that support countless fish species begin to disappear.
The VU study warns that the loss of coral reefs could significantly increase Bonaire’s exposure to coastal flooding. Mangroves and seagrass meadows, ecosystems that stabilize coastlines and provide nursery grounds for marine life, are also threatened by rising sea levels and more extreme weather events. When these ecosystems disappear, Bonaire loses not only biodiversity but also a crucial first line of defence against the sea.
Economy and cultural heritage at risk
These ecological changes have broader consequences. Tourism on Bonaire is closely tied to the health of its reefs, particularly through dive tourism. If coral degradation continues, many dive sites may deteriorate or disappear.
The island’s small-scale fisheries are also affected. As ocean temperatures rise, fish populations shift and some species move to cooler waters further out. Which means local fishers increasingly have to travel more to maintain their catch, resulting in higher fuel costs and lower profits.
For many Bonairians, fishing is not only an economic activity but also an important cultural practice and a key part of the island’s food system. When marine ecosystems decline, the impacts ripple through both the economy and local food security.
Climate change also threatens cultural heritage. Several historical sites on Bonaire are vulnerable to sea-level rise, including the iconic slave huts near the southern salt pans. Their disappearance would mean losing not only buildings, but part of the island’s historical memory.
A question of responsibility
Climate change on Bonaire highlights how unevenly the impacts of global warming are distributed. The emissions that drive climate change are largely produced elsewhere, while the consequences are felt locally.
This raises difficult questions for the Netherlands. Since 2010 Bonaire has been a special Dutch municipality. Yet the scale of climate risks facing the island contrasts sharply with the resources currently devoted to addressing them. While the European Netherlands invests heavily in flood protection and water management, climate adaptation in the Caribbean part of the Kingdom remains far more limited.
What is at stake is more than land. It is about ecosystems, livelihoods and cultural heritage and about whether the Netherlands is willing to take responsibility for a community that stands on the frontline of climate change. For many residents of Bonaire, the court ruling was about more than climate policy, it was also about recognition. After the court ruling, one Bonaire resident, who attended the hearing, wiped tears from her eyes and said: “We are no longer second-class citizens. We have equality.”
Questions about responsibility, climate justice and the future of Bonaire will also be explored during the programme How to Care for Bonaire? at Pakhuis de Zwijger on the 12th of March, where experts and knowledge holders come together to discuss the role of the Dutch Kingdom toward its Caribbean municipalities.
