Island-level adaptation

To better protect the islands against the consequences of extreme weather, we can pursue a three-step strategy: Analysis, Ambition, Action. This so-called Triple A strategy gives each island room to draw up plans for tackling their own specific challenges. The steps are explained below.

Analysis: Understanding the extent of your vulnerability

The first step is understanding how vulnerable the islands are to extreme weather and to climate change, and identifying risks and opportunities. In the European Netherlands, all relevant government bodies have conducted a climate stress test to map out their vulnerabilities. More information is provided on the Climate stress test page. Many of these stress tests can be viewed via the Stress test monitor map (in Dutch).

Tool: Climate Impact Atlas

The Climate Impact Atlas helps to gain an initial picture of the vulnerabilities. The Climate Impact Atlas for Curaçao is entitled KlimaKòrsou. The BES islands also have a Climate Impact Atlas. For Aruba and Sint Maarten, atlases are being developed that will go online in 2025.

The Climate Impact Atlas for the islands of Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba (Climate Impact Atlas BES) shows the consequences of climate change for these islands in the Caribbean part of the Netherlands. The Atlas, which shows the current impact and the expected future impact, is intended for use by public authorities, residents and communities, to help them prepare for the consequences of climate change.

KlimaKòrsou comprises a viewer, map explanations, statistics, a mind map on the consequences, and stories by Curaçao author Tyson Hill that set the impact of climate change in a more personal perspective for the island residents. KlimaKòrsou amasses all the available knowledge on climate change on the island of Curaçao at a central location. It is intended to help public authorities, residents and communities understand the consequences of climate change in their own region, in order to enable them to prepare more efficiently.

Ambition: Drawing up strategies

Awareness of your vulnerabilities enables you to draw up a strategy for adapting your spatial environment. For example, some of the islands are working on a climate action plan. Traditional knowledge is important for this step. Traditional food production methods may, for example, help to boost food security. In addition, traditional construction methods, such as building downwind, can help to increase island houses’ resilience to extreme weather.

Conduct a risk dialogue with residents and other stakeholders

Before drawing up a strategy, it is important to conduct risk dialogues: discussions with residents and other stakeholders on climate risks and potential measures. Beforehand, consider carefully which parties you wish to approach and how you will conduct such dialogues. More information is provided on this page: Conducting risk dialogues and drawing up strategies. The Risk Dialogue Roadmap page can also offer inspiration. Furthermore, the results of the study into Flood Risk Profiles of the BES Islands (pdf, 3.9 MB), carried out by HKV Lijn in water, were published in 2024. This study provides insight into the effects of climate change for the BES islands and outlines potential measures. The options identified in the study can be used in risk dialogues. In this respect it would be important, for example, to discuss the question of which risks you are collectively prepared to accept.

Climate plans for the Caribbean part of the Kingdom

A strategy is required for all the islands. Some islands are already working on a climate action plan. There is no standard approach, as each island is facing different challenges. The plans that are currently under development are listed below.

BES islands climate plans
At the end of 2023, in response to the Het is nooit te laat (It is never too late) advisory report drawn up by Ed Nijpels for the Bonaire Climate Table, the Dutch government promised that Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba would each have their own climate plan by 2024. These climate plans need to address both adaptation and mitigation, with ideas on how the islands can cope with the threats and opportunities related to climate change. It is vitally important for the residents of Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba to be involved in drawing up these plans, and for the plans to factor in local conditions.

Curaçao climate plans
Curaçao has compiled a Climate Strategy Roadmap, “Kòrsou na kaminda”, which sets out the main steps for developing a national climate strategy. The roadmap pursues four goals:

1. Mapping out climate risks;
2. Achieving carbon neutrality: this means that any greenhouse gases emitted must also be absorbed from the atmosphere, by planting trees or by underground CO₂ storage;
3. Boosting resilience to the consequences of climate change;
4. Capacity building and awareness raising: this means enhancing the available know-how and skills, and making as many people as possible aware of the negative impacts of climate change.

Want to read more? The website of the Curaçao Climate Change Platform contains information on the climate plans of the island of Curaçao.

Aruba climate plans
The Aruba National Climate Resilience Council will be drawing up a National Adaptation Strategy in 2025. The United Nations National Climate Resilience Council (NCRC) obtained permission from Aruba to draw up an adaptation plan. The NCRC aims to raise Aruba’s resilience to the negative impacts of climate change, e.g., by contributing to the know-how and skills of stakeholders. It is going to draft a vision document, a climate action plan, and an implementation plan.

National programmes in the European Netherlands

The European Netherlands has initiated three major national programmes to limit the consequences of climate change and to be climate-proof by 2050: the National Climate Adaptation Strategy (NAS), the Delta Programme for Spatial Adaptation, and the Freshwater Delta Programme.

The National Climate Adaptation Strategy (NAS) is the overarching Dutch strategy in the field of climate adaptation. The strategy sets out the main climate risks for the Netherlands and plots the course for addressing these risks from various sectors. The NAS also contains a brief chapter on climate adaptation in the Caribbean part of the Kingdom.

The Delta Programme for Spatial Adaptation is working on redesigning the Netherlands in a manner that will enable us to cope with the consequences of increasing heat, drought, severe precipitation, and flooding. This is referred to as a climate-proof and water-resilient design. Dutch government bodies are pursuing this goal on the basis of seven ambitions: Mapping out vulnerabilities; Conducting risk dialogues and drawing up strategies; Drawing up implementation agendas; Capitalising on linkage opportunities; Promotion and facilitation; Regulating and embedding; and Responding to disasters. More details are provided on the page relating to the seven ambitions.

Under the Freshwater Delta Programme, the national government is collaborating with other parties on the goal of rendering the Netherlands resilient to freshwater shortages resulting from climate change.

Action: Determine the order of your actions and get to work

This third step involves converting your adaptation plans into specific actions. From a cost efficiency perspective, it is important to first set down the order in which you will take action before you proceed. Adopt an iterative approach: repeat what you are doing, but each time based on new analyses and with new adjustments. Would you like to know more about the measures being taken on the BES islands to limit the impact of climate change? Relevant information can be found in the report on Climate Change and Adaptation Efforts BES Islands (pdf, 3.9 MB), by Witteveen+Bos consultants. The report also identifies the sectors that need to focus more attention on adaptation measures.