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Published On: Mon, Feb 21st, 2022

Zembla reveals how the Netherlands frustrates sustainability in Bonaire

KRALENDIJK — The Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs denied Bonaire’s electricity company WEB €40 million subsidy for its plan to make the island’s energy-supply almost completely sustainable. Instead, the ministry gave €10 million to Bonaire Brandstof Terminals (BBT) “for investments in renewable energy on Bonaire.”

The Dutch investigative TV-program Zembla reported in its broadcast of Thursday, February 17, about the situation on Bonaire. The reporters interviewed STINAPA’s marine biologist Roxanne Liana Francisca for the program, as well as her fellow marine biologist at Harvard University George Buckley, Lt. Governor Edison Rijna, communication advisor René Zwart, Edward Sedney (Bonaire Food Bank) and others for the program.

The dispute about the energy-supply on Bonaire revolves around the protection of the island’s priceless coral reefs. The oil supply for the diesel generator-powered electricity plant used to be brought on land at the pier of the Bonaire Petroleum Corporation (Bopec), a subsidiary of the Venezuelan state oil company PdvSA. Due to American sanctions against Venezuela, Bopec went bankrupt in 2021 and the pier at the property has fallen in disrepair. Bopec stopped already handling oil shipments in 2020.

The Ministry of Economic Affairs put an emergency measure in place whereby the oil was delivered to a temporary storage facility near the airport. Tanker trucks transported the fuel across the island to its destination. Towards the end of 2020 the ministry launched a structural solution with the establishment of Bonaire Brandstof Terminals (Bonaire Fuel Terminals), or BBT.

This move did not go unnoticed and alarmed several parliamentarians in the Netherlands. Lammer van Laan, an MP for the Party for Animals, says in the Zembla-broadcast that he was amazed: “Here was an opportunity for the transition to sustainable energy but now Bonaire will be addicted to fossil fuel for the next thirty to forty years.”

The Zembla reporters went to work and examined BBT’s articles of incorporation. “Sustainable energy is not mentioned anywhere,” they concluded.

René Zwart, who advises Bonaire about communication with The Hague agrees. “Bonaire is for the next twenty to thirty years condemned to fossil fuel. This is such a shame, a missed opportunity.”

The establishment of BBT is not the only issue that causes Bonaireans and some Dutch politicians reason for concern and this is where the coral reefs come into play. Because BBT cannot use the old Bopec-pier, it would have to construct a new facility. And the plans were to construct that new pier at the King Willem Alexander Nature Reserve.

“That area is crucial,” George Buckley, marine biologist at Harvard and one of the experts on the state of the coral reefs around Bonaire. “This is the place where we do our research, this is our benchmark. This is where we check how things are really going. Access to the area is forbidden for divers.”

STINAPA’s marine biologist Roxanne Francisca is clear about the consequences of building the pier near the nature reserve. “Everything under that pier is going to die.”

The Zembla-broadcast opens for a reason with the following statement by Prime Minister Mark Rutte: “In the Caribbean area we want to protect the magnificent coral reefs that are vital for our biodiversity. Together with other parties we invest in making the coral reefs healthier.”

Building a pier for the import of oil in a nature reserve is obviously not the best way to protect coral reefs; on the contrary. And those reefs are already under a lot of pressure because of global warming, increased (cruise)tourism and an exploding island-population.

Buckley mentions global warming as the first threat, because reefs do not do well in warmer water. “When we build pillars or dock ships above the sand it disturbs the bottom. All those swimmers and divers also disturb the bottom and that can badly impact the reefs.”

Zembla labels the coral reefs as “the cork that keeps Bonaire afloat.” Healthy reefs are not only important for marine life; they also play a vital part in the island’s tourism industry.

Bonaire’s population increased by 40 percent during the past ten years. But not all inhabitants benefit from the income generated by tourism. Edward Sedney should know. He works at the local Food Bank where citizens with an income below the minimum wage go for assistance. “In 2019 we gave out around 180 food packages per month. These days it is 600.”

The ever increasing cost of living in Bonaire outpaces the average income. The minimum wage is $1,250 per month. “That is not enough,” says Sedney.”

Commissioner for Social Affairs Nina den Heyer says in the broadcast that 50 percent of Bonaireans earn less than $20,000 per year and that within that group, 10 percent earns less than $10,000. “Healthy eating is not possible anymore because vegetables and fruit are expensive.”

People living on social benefits (onderstand) live in true poverty: they receive just $484 per month.

In the meantime the island needs more and more oil to be able to feed its energy needs. The local plant uses diesel generators and those machines are working 24/7.

But a pier in the nature reserve? Lt. Governor Edison Rijna says that this is not necessary. “We have all facilities at Bopec. Just renovate the pier a bit to bring the oil on land.”

When Zembla asked the Ministry of Economic Affairs whether it can guarantee that no pier will be built in the nature reserve, a spokesman confirmed nor denied it. “We have no plan to build a pier in the nature reserve. Whether we will use the existing pier is still very uncertain.”

The Zembla-reporters found two reports that show that The Hague is already looking at options for sustainable energy since 2016. Three years later WEB presented its plan for sustainable energy. That plan would cut the need for oil to 20 percent of the current levels. Joanne Balentien-Nicastia, the financial director at WEB told Zembla: “We have found the ideal mix to make the island sustainable. We aim to make the island for 70 to 80 percent green.”

“Sustainability has advantages,” says René Zwart. “The tariffs could be cut in half and the Netherlands subsidizes those tariffs.”

On July 3, 220, WEB petitioned the Ministry of Economic Affairs for a subsidy of €40 million to execute its sustainability plan. The request went nowhere, because of the Dutch elections and the lengthy cabinet-formation. So a year later, WEB sent a reminder: no reaction. A month later it sent a second reminder that also fell on deaf ears.

According to Zembla, the minister said in the Dutch parliament that “sustainability in Bonaire is something for the long term. On the short term we have to build a new oil terminal.”

At the end of 2021 the ministry of Economic Affairs takes a decision: WEB does not get its subsidy, but BBT, of which the Netherlands is a 100 percent shareholder, gets €10 million for investments in renewable energy.”

René Zwart is not impressed. “This is just a fig leaf; it does not help at all. This was done to satisfy the parliament. Sustainable is a competitor for BBT, it is as simple as that.”

On February 8 Bonaire sent another letter to the minister for Climate and Energy Policy, Rob Jetten (D66), in which the island government urges him to subsidize WEB’s sustainability plan without interference from BBT.

Two days before the Zembla-broadcast, BBT sent out a press release, stating that it had dropped the plan for the construction of a new pier. “Under no circumstance do we want to do harm to people, the environment or nature.”

Zwart provides more opinion about this issue in the Kadushi-column on his website dossierkoninkrijksrelaties.nl. Referring to a claim from the ministry of Economic Affairs that BBT is going to make the production of energy on Bonaire for 75 percent sustainable, he notes: “Do not fall for it. This was nothing more than a fabrication from the BBT-management dressed up as a press release.”

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Related links:
Zembla-broadcast
Kadushi-column