WILLEMSTAD - Clean Air Everywhere Foundation (CAE) has threatened to take the Curaçao government to court again if the new draft Landsverordening air quality standards is implemented unchanged. This was announced by Gert Mulder, representative of CAE, yesterday during a technical briefing to Parliament.
According to Mulder, the current draft law does not meet the requirements set by the court in 2022 and seems to be mainly written with the interests of the refinery in mind. "If this draft is adopted, we will ask the court to annul it," Mulder said.
The foundation criticizes the lack of essential considerations in the draft law. There is no economic consideration made between the interests of the refinery and the tourism sector, which suffers from the refinery's emissions. In addition, public health and the long-term effects on the environment are not adequately considered.
During the briefing, CAE also pointed out the contradiction within the government, which promotes the construction of tourist accommodations on one hand but does not adjust the older nuisance permits for the refinery on the other. "The government risks claims from companies such as Blue Ocean Pearl, Marriott, and Dreams in Piscadera Bay, all of which will be affected by the emissions," Mulder added.
Furthermore, the foundation noted that the draft law does not mention the CO2 emissions by the refinery, which are considerable and have a significant impact on the climate. The current nuisance permit of the Refineria di Korsou (RdK) allows emissions that are nine times higher than the standards of the World Health Organization (WHO).
The dispute over the air quality law is indicative of the broader struggle between economic development and environmental protection on the island. CAE insists on a law that considers all stakeholders and protects the sustainability of the island.