Protecting Vulnerable Territories from Climate Change: State Obligations Clarified in the Bonaire Case

Protecting Vulnerable Territories from Climate Change: State Obligations Clarified in the Bonaire Case

In late January 2026, The Hague District Court ruled that the Kingdom of the Netherlands failed to adopt adequate mitigation and adaptation measures to protect the residents of Bonaire from the adverse effects of climate change. The Caribbean island is particularly vulnerable to extreme weather events and sea-level rise, which threaten its cultural heritage and tourism-dependent economy—and, in turn, locals’ livelihoods. The Dutch state also fai…