Oil giant Royal Dutch Shell must sharply cut its greenhouse gas emissions, in line with the Paris climate agreement, a Dutch court ruled Wednesday in a potentially precedent-setting win for environmentalists.
The Hague District Court ruled Shell’s current emissions reduction plan isn’t sufficient to address its contribution to climate change. The oil company’s emissions policy “is not concrete, has many caveats and is based on monitoring social developments rather than the company’s own responsibility for achieving a CO2 reduction,” the court said in a summary of its ruling.
OIL COMPANIES NOTCH VICTORY IN SUPREME COURT FIGHT OVER CLIMATE CASES
Under the ruling, Shell must reduce its emissions by 45% below 2019 levels by the end of 2030. That requirement covers the full scope of Shell’s emissions, including from its suppliers and customers.
The landmark lawsuit was brought in 2019 by Dutch citizens and environmental groups, including Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth. They argued Shell’s continued production of oil and gas was a threat to their human rights because it jeopardized their ability to have a stable climate.
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Their victory could give support to similar cases around the world, including in the United States, where environmental groups, citizens, and local governments are seeking to hold oil companies accountable for their contribution to climate change and require them to address their emissions.
Shell can appeal the Dutch court’s ruling.
