Shell will have to cut its emissions. A court has ordered it to
Energy — di Valentina Neri
A Dutch court has delivered a landmark ruling: oil multinational Shell must reduce its emissions in line with the Paris Agreement.
Shell will have to cut its emissions. A court has ordered it to
A Dutch court has delivered a landmark ruling: oil multinational Shell must reduce its emissions in line with the Paris Agreement.
Oil multinational Royal Dutch Shell will have to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 45 per cent by 2030, compared to 2019 levels, in order to comply with the requirements imposed by the Paris Agreement on climate. This is what the District Court of The Hague, in the Netherlands, has ordered in a landmark ruling delivered on Wednesday 26 May.
The results of the legal action against Shell
The case was brought in April 2019 by a coalition of environmental organisations – Friends of the Earth Netherlands, Greenpeace Netherlands, ActionAid, Both Ends, Fossielvrij Nl, Jongeren Milieu Actief and Waddenvereniging – on behalf of 17,379 citizens. Their arguments hinge on the Paris Agreement on climate, which aims to keep the rise in average global temperatures to within 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, while pursuing efforts to limit the increase to 1.5 degrees. By continuing to invest billions in fossil fuel energy production, the lawyers argue, Shell is breaching its duty of care and violating human rights.
The oil company has already announced its climate plan to 2050. According to the Dutch court's judges, however, it "is not concrete and is full of conditions". In short, "it is not sufficient". Hence the demand to reduce emissions by 45 per cent by 2030, holding the company responsible also for so-called Scope 3 emissions — that is, those linked to the supply chain and to the consumption of its products.
Through a press release, Shell reaffirms its commitment to reaching net-zero emissions by 2050 and announces its intention to appeal.
An important precedent established
According to Donald Pols, director of the Dutch branch of Friends of the Earth, this is a "monumental victory for our planet and for our children, and a step towards a liveable future for everyone. The judge left no room for doubt: Shell is causing dangerous climate change and must put an end to its destructive behaviour now." Roger Cox, the environmental organisation's lawyer, believes that this legal action sets an important precedent. For the first time, a court has ordered a major polluting company to align itself with the dictates of the Paris Agreement on climate. It is therefore not inconceivable that this ruling will be followed by others.
Historic win & tears of joy. As Court orders Shell to reduce its CO2 emissions, the judge leaves no room for doubt: Shell is contributing to dangerous #ClimateChange & must stop its destructive behaviour now. #StopShell Congratulations @milieudefensie.
"Oil and gas must stay where they are, underground"
Greenpeace Netherlands responded with enthusiasm. "This ruling is a historic victory for the climate and for all those facing the consequences of the climate crisis," said interim director Andy Palmen. "Today's ruling is a clear signal to the fossil fuel industry. Coal, oil and gas must stay where they are, underground. Citizens across the world are demanding climate justice. Today the Court has confirmed that the fossil fuel industry cannot continue to emit greenhouse gases and contribute to worsening the climate emergency."
Alessandro Giannì, director of campaigns at Greenpeace Italy, echoes these sentiments, highlighting how just a few days ago the International Energy Agency published a report mapping the path towards climate neutrality by 2050. A path that also entails an end to investments in new fossil fuel projects and new coal-fired power plants.