The special municipalities of Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba (BES islands) are located in the Caribbean and part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The BES islands face growing challenges in securing the financing needed for a clean, reliable, and affordable energy transition.
Energy transition financing is not only an environmental imperative for economic stability and energy security. The BES islands are highly motivated and have a robust pipeline of projects to meet their climate goals. By streamlining access to the right funding mechanisms, these initiatives can be unlocked. Clearer, scale-appropriate investment pathways will accelerate the transition to clean, reliable, and affordable energy, ensuring long-term stability and prosperity for households, utilities, and public budgets alike.
As special municipalities, the position of the local governments and the utilities of the islands of Bonaire, Sint Eustasius, and Saba differs from that of autonomous OCTs, and as a result, they face specific challenges in financing their energy transition. In this position paper, the Clean energy for EU islands secretariat presents those challenges and proposes recommendations for European and national policymakers to improve access to funding for the energy transition in the BES islands.