five themes were thus identified in consultation with the islands, in this first environmental policy document. In 2001 a sixth theme was added. They are (in no particular order):

The selection of these priority themes was based on surveys, recommendations, and advice on environment and nature in the Netherlands Antilles, published over the preceding years. In addition, the ‘Contours Paper’ notes the prerequisites for environmental policy implementation, i.e.

Following is a very brief explanation for the main priority themes.

The lack of a policy to prevent, reduce and recycle waste in the past has led to a steady growth of the waste volume, whereas our small islands have very little space for waste disposal. This growing problem must be addressed. The commonality of the waste water problem, posing a threat to environment, biodiversity, public health, and economic development potential also demands decisive action.

The importance of the oil industry to the economy and as employer in the Netherlands Antilles (refinery and oil transshipment terminal in Curaçao, oil transshipment terminals in Bonaire and in St. Eustatius), with its flipside of serious environmental effects of the production and disastrous effects of inadequate transfer and transport of oil products, also warrants careful attention.

Similarly, tourism is of great economic importance to all the islands, but can have serious environmental impacts. In order for it to be sustainable its effects on environment, society, and planning must be carefully managed or prevented. Tourists choose the islands of the Netherlands Antilles as a destination because of their natural attractions, for one thing. It is essential to preserve that attraction while minimizing its environmental and societal impacts.

Protection and conservation of nature, the fourth priority theme, is not only important because of the enormous economic value of biodiversity, both direct and indirect, but also because of its intrinsic value. In addition it is a very limited resource on our small islands, so it needs to be preserved.

The fifth theme, increasing the support for environmental care and nature conservation is clearly a basic requirement if the policy is to be successfully implemented. If there is no awareness of the need for environmental care and nature conservation, one cannot expect anyone to make any effort towards it.

Considering the significance of sustainable energy to sustainable development, the rapid developments in the field and the wish of several islands to provide for their energy needs in a more sustainable way, the subject of sustainable energy was added as sixth main priority theme in 2000 when the second multi-year environmental policy plan was written.

The selection of these priority themes means that other environmental themes— important as well—will receive less or no attention. Things like transport and traffic, noise pollution, or air pollution. Because of the limited capacity of the central and island governments however, prioritization is unavoidable. At the same time the islands are counted on—within the limits of their capacity—to address some of the additional environmental problems in their island policies if possible. Sometimes a little effort can carry far, e.g. in the area of traffic and air pollution by improved checks of the exhaust gases during the obligatory vehicle inspections. In such cases the central government will assist by providing standards. Based on the Contours Paper several other policy documents were prepared during the term of the Contours Paper, setting out specific policy in several of the priority themes, i.e. “Framework for Waste Management Policy of the Netherlands Antilles“⁴ , “White Paper on Sustainable Tourism”⁵, and “Nature Policy of the Netherlands Antilles”⁶

In 1999 a progress report on environmental and nature conservation policy was prepared⁷ This report looks at what has been achieved, or was not achieved in the area of environment and nature conservation over the preceding period, and which obstacles will have to be surmounted if the objective of better environmental care and nature conservation is to be achieved.

In 2001 a new Multi-year plan for environmental and nature conservation policy⁸ was produced based on the previous Contours Paper and its 1999 evaluation. It provides the framework for environmental and nature conservation policy for the period 2001-2005, and added sustainable energy as a sixth priority theme. Like the preceding Contours Paper, a major part of the financing for its implementation again came from the cooperative means of the Dutch Government through the Ministry of Government Reform and Kingdom Relations (BVK), based on the recognition that environmental and nature conservation policy are essential to sustainable development. Because of delays in the realization of the financing, implementation of the new Multi-year Plan did not really start until the last quarter of 2003.

In reassessing the Multi-year Plan at that time, which should have been its halfway mark, it became apparent that notwithstanding the lack of funding, nevertheless some important results were achieved in the period 2000-2003, i.e. after the 1999 progress report. Partly these resulted from activities set into motion as part of the first “Contours Paper”, partly they were realized with the very limited means available and with the help of alternative or third party external funding.

Thus the overview of the waste problem in the Netherlands Antilles was greatly improved, with inventories made of the waste situation in Saba and St. Eustatius and corresponding action plans formulated. An implementation plan for the recycling and adequate disposal of car wrecks was drafted with support from the Dutch ministry of environment (VROM). An inventory of hazardous waste was completed in Curaçao. The bilateral agreement for international transport of hazardous waste (under the Basel Convention) between the Netherlands and the Netherlands Antilles has been renewed. In 2002 the 4th Waste Management Conference took place in Curaçao. At that conference, updates were presented on the actual waste management situation on all the islands including Aruba, and the recycling of car wrecks was discussed. As to legislation, a model island ordinance for waste management was drafted, providing a template for the island authorities to regulate the collection and the disposal of solid waste. Similarly a model waste water management ordinance was produced.

On the nature conservation front much was achieved as well. Two additional Nature Forum meetings took place after 1999. One in Curaçao in 2000, the third such meeting since 1996, which resulted in a document clearly elaborating the amount of sustainable funding needed for the survival and basic infrastructure of the nature conservation management organizations of the Netherlands Antilles⁹. The meeting also established a Netherlands Antilles Nature Conservation Initiative (NANCI) with a broad communication network. The fourth Nature Forum meeting took place in St. Maarten in 2002, and established the importance of monitoring for nature conservation. It also reaffirmed the urgent need for the establishment of a trust fund for nature conservation in the Netherlands Antilles, and a working group further elaborated terms of reference for a trust fund study. Together with the ‘Financing Plan’ produced by the Nature Forum 2000, this provided the basis for the long intended study on how to establish such a trust fund, and which finally started with Dutch cooperative funding in 2004. Meanwhile the nature conservation organizations in St. Eustatius and St. Maarten, both on the brink of closing down due to lack of sustainable income, were kept alive partly with Dutch cooperative funding and partly with financial support from the respective island.

The Netherlands Antilles Coral Reef Initiative (NACRI), established by the Nature Forum of 2000, as part of the NANCI, was strengthened through two conferences organized by MINA with funding from local NGO’s and private sector sponsors. As a direct result an extensive coordination and communication network for marine conservation efforts on the islands, including neighboring countries and international experts and organizations, was established. The NACRI further identifies and elaborates projects and activities focused on coral reef conservation.

A survey of the fishery of the Saba Bank was completed and prepared the way, not only for a similar survey in Curaçao, but also for a further indepth survey of the Saba Bank still to be realized, and also led to the production of a video on the fishery and biodiversity resources of the Bank that was broadcasted by the various island TV stations and also featured during the 6th Conference of Parties of the Convention on the protection of Biological Diversity (CBD) in the Netherlands in 2002.

Substantial progress was made on the subject of sustainable tourism. Both in Bonaire and Curaçao a number of hotels, tour and dive operators were joined in the “Naturally Antilles” project and environmental information was provided to tourists (as yet only in Dutch) through a brochure, certificates at participating operators, information pillars at participating hotels, and an extensive website www.natuurlijkantillen.info. At the same time the operators and hotels were trained in environmentally more responsible management.

In 2001, through its extensive and active communication network with environmental organizations on all islands, MINA was able on only one month’s notice, to direct more than NAƒ 600,000 of unspent Dutch cooperative funds to more than 25 environmental projects from a wide variety of NGO’s from all islands, supporting nature conservation management and environmental awareness. MINA subsequently monitored the implementation of those projects, which (with only one exception) were all completed successfully.

The above are just the main results of MINA’s efforts, in addition the National Environmental Ordinance was completed and now ready to be passed; the National Nature Conservation Ordinance was amended to better follow the various treaties; the Netherlands Antilles took a leading role in regional cooperation for the environment, in particular through the Cartagena Convention and its three protocols: hosting the Oil Spill protocol’s regional activity center REMPEITC in Curaçao, providing strong support for the SPAW protocol in working groups and as chair of both its Conference of Parties and its Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee (STAC) in 2002 and 2003 and hosting the second STAC meeting in Curaçao in 2003. The Netherlands Antilles also became actively involved in the Inter-American Convention for the Protection and Conservation of Sea Turtles (IAC), helping to prepare the consultative and the scientific committees, and rules of procedures under the protocol. Finally, MINA has built up a very good working relationship with the nature conservation organizations, the waste management organizations, and the environmental departments of the islands, involving them closely with central government policy, supporting and stimulating them, and providing funding for a large number of small projects through the years through the KNAP and MINA Funds.

All in all, reassessment of the 2001-2005 Multi-Year Plan as well as the preceding period, led to the conclusion that these past years have served to provide a solid foundation for sound environment and nature policy: inventories, assessments, analyses, policy documents, information materials, regulation and legislation, guidelines, etc. Though this may not be fully complete in al cases, it is nevertheless time for the next step, which is to improve the ways to measure the state of the environment and the progress made towards improving, preserving or restoring it. Further indicators, baseline values and targets must now be identified and formulated. Measuring means knowing, and measuring means making the problems tangible. It is the only road that leads to effective enforcement of regulations.

This conclusion led to the decision that instead of revising the existing Multi-Year Plan, a new Nature & Environment Policy Plan (NEP Plan) 2004-2007 would be made, incorporating clear output and effect indicators where possible, and acknowledging that a point has been reached where a “National Exploration of the State of the Environment”, is needed to provide clear indicators and baseline data, and better tools to target problem areas or obstacles.

As did the former multi-year plan, the NEP Plan provides the framework for environmental and nature conservation policy. In chapter 2 the premises and strategy are set out. In chapter 3 each of the priority environmental themes are discussed in more detail. Subsequently additional instruments, essential for effective environmental policy implementation, are discussed, starting with education and public awareness and involvement in chapter 4, followed by chapter 5 dealing with legislation, environmental standards, and enforcement. Chapter 6 lists the cooperative mechanisms with other departments, NGOs and other countries. Funding for the implementation of the policy is discussed in chapter 7. Chapter 8 discusses the implementation and the specific activities resulting from the NEP Plan. Chapter 9 finally, addresses monitoring and evaluation and a National Exploration of Nature and the Environment. An explanatory list of the many acronyms used in this document is provided as chapter 10

The NEP Plan 2004-2007 again serves as an umbrella for various thematic policy plans and reports such as the “Framework for Waste Management Policy”, Sustainable Tourism White Paper”, and “Nature Policy of the Netherlands Antilles”. Year Plans will detail specific activities to be implemented as part of the overall NEP Plan, and will provide progress reports of ongoing or completed activities.