HAVET & VANHUFFEL – Association d’avocats
On 28 January 2026, the District Court of The Hague, in Greenpeace v. State of the Netherlands (Case No. C/09/659832 / HA ZA 24-53), ordered the Dutch State to incorporate into its national legislation, within eighteen months from this judgment, at least absolute emission reduction targets for the entire economy, as provided for in Article 4(1) of the Paris Agreement.
This case concerns a small island called Bonaire and addresses the following issues:
Has the Dutch State taken sufficient, timely, and appropriate measures to protect the inhabitants of Bonaire from the effects of climate change (adaptation), and
Is its climate policy consistent with the fair share it must contribute under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris Agreement derived from it? These agreements stipulate that countries worldwide must take action to limit global warming to below 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels by the end of the century (mitigation).
The applicants rely on alleged violations of Articles 2, 8, and 14 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), as well as the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement. The declaratory judgment found violations of Article 14 of the ECHR and Article 1 of Protocol No. 12 to the ECHR, and ordered the State to take measures in accordance with the United Nations agreements, including the development and implementation of an adaptation plan.
Toi access the judgment follow the link : https://uitspraken.rechtspraak.nl/details?id=ECLI:NL:RBDHA:2026:1347.