Klimaathoogleraar over uitspraak Bonaire: ‘Het Nederlandse klimaatbeleid is jarenlang niet goed onderbouwd’

(Climate professor on Bonaire ruling: ‘Dutch climate policy has not been well-substantiated for years’)

Professor Christina Eckes was recently interviewed by Tjerk Gualthérie van Weezel for the Dutch newspaper, De Volkskrant. 29 January, 2026.

In the article, Professor Eckes argues that a recent court ruling in The Hague has major consequences for Dutch climate policy. The case, brought by Greenpeace on behalf of residents of Bonaire, found that the Netherlands has failed to develop adequate climate policy—both for Bonaire and in general.

According to Eckes, this effectively means current Dutch climate policy—based on EU goals like climate neutrality by 2050—must be fundamentally reworked and likely made more ambitious.

The ruling builds on earlier European case law, especially the KlimaSeniorinnen v. Switzerland, which established that countries have legal and human rights obligations to reduce emissions.

Excerpt from the interview (translated)

The journalist asks: ”Do we not then run the risk that more and more voters and political parties will oppose the Paris Climate Agreement? And argue for withdrawing from it?”

Christina Eckes: ”I hope it won’t come to the point where we follow the US down that path. It’s technically complicated because the agreement has also been signed by the EU. But even if you were to do that, it wouldn’t be a solution. Because the ruling on the KlimaSeniorinnen goes far beyond the Paris Climate Agreement. It is based on broader international agreements and human rights. Last summer, the International Court of Justice in The Hague also issued an opinion along these lines: there are many different legal standards and treaties that oblige governments to protect their citizens against climate change. These include customary international law.”