The Adviso­ry Division of the Kingdom Council of State has raised concerns that the Nether­lands’ national Climate Plan excludes the Caribbean ter­ritories, focusing solely on the European part of the country.

In its advisory opinion, the Council of State notes that under the Climate Act, the plan applies only to the Eu­ropean Netherlands, leav­ing out the Caribbean mu­nicipalities of Bonaire, St. Eustatius, and Saba (BES islands). Despite this omis­sion, the Council stresses that climate change poses an urgent threat to these ter­ritories.

“Climate change has a sig­nificant impact on the Carib­bean parts of the Kingdom, which are among the most vulnerable regions in the world,” the advisory states.

The exclusion of the BES islands from the Climate Plan has sparked concern among experts and policy-makers, given the region’s exposure to rising sea levels, hurricanes and other envi­ronmental risks. Climate ad­vocates are urging the Dutch government to adopt a more inclusive strategy that ad­dresses the unique challeng­es faced by the Caribbean territories.

The Daily Herald.