ORANJESTAD (AAN) — A sailing flotilla of climate justice activists has drawn international attention to the Dutch Caribbean islands’ ongoing struggle for climate action, revealing deep inequities within the Kingdom of the Netherlands’ approach to its Caribbean territories.
The Climate Justice Flotilla traveled through Bonaire, Sint Maarten, Curaçao, and Aruba before arriving in Santa Marta, Colombia, the site of a landmark climate conference co-hosted by the Dutch government dedicated to transitioning away from fossil fuels.
“When we arrived in Bonaire you could really feel the anger,” said Paolo Destilo, a Dutch-Italian activist and flotilla member. The anger stems from the Dutch government’s decision to appeal a historic court ruling that found the Netherlands had violated the human rights of Bonaire’s citizens by failing to protect them from climate change impacts. The court ordered binding targets for Bonaire to reach net zero emissions by 2050.
Islands Left Without a Voice
Despite co-hosting the climate conference, the Dutch government’s delegation appeared to include only representatives from European Netherlands, leaving Caribbean islanders without representation.
“We do not have the power to represent the Kingdom in international relations, so we cannot go to international conferences and speak on behalf of the Kingdom,” explained Nigel Maduro, an Aruban climate scientist and flotilla crew member. “We don’t get to tell our stories as people that are most affected by unsustainable practices because we can’t get in there.”
A 2022 report by the Institute for Environmental Studies found Bonaire is expected to lose up to 11.2 percent of its land by 2150 due to flooding, with extreme weather events estimated to cause $317 million in damages. Rising temperatures also threaten increased risks of vector-borne disease and heat-related stress.
A Legacy of Fossil Fuel Exploitation
The Dutch Caribbean islands have a long and painful history with fossil fuel extraction. Following the discovery of oil off Venezuela’s coast in the early 20th century, Aruba, Curaçao, and Bonaire were used to refine and store oil. Royal Dutch Shell built what was then the world’s largest refinery in Willemstad, Curaçao, in 1915.
“My own family was brought to the islands from Suriname to fill jobs in the new refineries,” said Amar Patrick Scannell, a climate justice activist from Curaçao. “We were put right inside an area covered in smoke. Many in my family have died of cancer up to this day.”
A study commissioned by Dutch consulting firm ECORYS concluded that at least 18 people were dying prematurely on Curaçao every year from exposure to refinery emissions. A 2015 study placed Curaçao among the most polluted areas globally.
Hypocrisy and Greenwashing
Barely 24 hours before the Santa Marta conference concluded with Dutch Minister Stientje van Veldhoven championing the transition away from fossil fuels, the government of Aruba announced the discovery of vast oil and gas deposits off its shores and outlined plans for offshore drilling exploration — despite a 2025 agreement to dismantle aging oil infrastructure as part of a renewable energy transition.
“As a kingdom we’re not reducing emissions. It’s hypocrisy and greenwashing; one step forward two steps back,” said Maduro.
International climate agreements, including the Paris Agreement, only apply to European Dutch territories in practice. This means Dutch Caribbean emissions are not counted within the Kingdom’s reporting, leaving the islands as what activists describe as the Kingdom’s invisible smokestack.
“There’s a huge responsibility from the Netherlands, but they are afraid of being confronted by their past and the historical debt they owe towards the islands,” said Destilo.
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