UTRECHT--The Netherlands Institute for Human Rights has called for St. Maarten to be included in a wider Kingdom-level approach to climate adaptation, warning that climate threats across the Caribbean part of the Kingdom cannot be addressed effectively in isolation.
The recommendation forms part of the institute’s advice on the draft National Climate Adaptation Strategy 2026.
While the Dutch strategy mainly covers the European Netherlands, Bonaire, Saba and St. Eustatius, the institute noted that St. Maarten, Aruba and Curaçao are also countries within the Kingdom. However, they do not formally fall under the proposed strategy.
The institute said this constitutional distinction does not change the reality that the climate challenges facing the islands are closely connected.
It pointed to Hurricane Irma in 2017, which caused severe damage in St. Maarten and also had long-term effects on Saba and St. Eustatius. The two islands depend heavily on St. Maarten for the movement of supplies, making disruptions in St. Maarten a wider regional concern.
The institute warned that stronger and more frequent hurricanes, along with other climate-related risks, will require greater cooperation throughout the Kingdom.
It said climate adaptation should therefore be approached beyond the limits of the existing constitutional arrangements, with attention given to shared risks, infrastructure, emergency response, transportation, food security and the movement of essential supplies.
The institute recommended that the Dutch government work with the governments of St. Maarten, Aruba and Curaçao to examine how common climate-adaptation challenges can be addressed jointly.
Such cooperation could include the sharing of climate data, technical expertise, disaster-preparedness planning and regional risk assessments.
The advice also raises the possibility of a broader Kingdom-wide strategy that recognizes the connections between the islands and supports coordinated action before climate-related events occur.
For St. Maarten, the recommendation highlights the country’s wider regional role. Beyond protecting its own population, infrastructure and economy, St. Maarten serves as an important transportation and supply hub for nearby islands.
Damage to the airport, port, roads, telecommunications systems or essential services in St. Maarten can therefore have consequences beyond the country’s borders.
The institute’s position suggests that climate planning for the Kingdom should take these dependencies into account and establish clearer arrangements for cooperation, financing and responsibility.
It further noted that international human rights obligations apply throughout the Kingdom, strengthening the case for coordinated climate policies that protect residents across all parts of the Dutch Kingdom.
The proposed Kingdom-level approach would not replace St. Maarten’s responsibility for its own climate policies. Instead, it would provide a framework for cooperation on challenges that cross borders and cannot be managed effectively by one island or government alone.
The Netherlands Institute for Human Rights urged the relevant governments to begin discussions on how shared climate risks can be addressed together, particularly as the effects of climate change become more severe and costly.
File photo of Point Blanche St. Maarten after Huricane Irma in 2017.
