THE HAGUE - The Netherlands "insufficiently" protects the tiny Caribbean territory of Bonaire from climate change, a Dutch court ruled Wednesday in a potentially landmark environmental justice ruling. The low-lying Netherlands is famous for its protective measures against rising waters, mainly based on an extensive system of barriers and dykes. The government had argued it was an "autonomous task" of the local authorities to develop a plan to counter the ravages of climate change. "Climate change is not a distant threat for us," Bonaire farmer Onnie Emerenciana told judges. The ICJ opinion, requested by the United Nations, aimed to clarify international law as it relates to climate change.