A Dutch court has ordered Royal Dutch Shell to cut its emissions 45% by 2030 compared to 2019 levels, in a landmark ruling.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n
It is the first ruling ordering a company to reduce its emissions in line with the Paris Agreement. The case was heard by the district court in the Hague, where Shell is headquartered.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Campaigners say the outcome sets a precedent for future lawsuits against the fossil fuel industry and could unleash a wave of climate litigation against big polluters.<\/p>\n Seven environmental groups, including Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth the Netherlands, also known as Milieudefensie, filed the lawsuit against Shell in April last year, on behalf of more than 17,000 Dutch citizens.<\/span><\/p>\n Campaigners argued that Shell is violating its international climate obligations and threatening the lives of these citizens by continuing to invest billions every year in expanding its oil and gas production.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The judge ruled that Shell\u2019s current climate strategy is \u201cnot concrete enough and full of caveats,” adding that the oil major has a legal obligation to reduce its emissions in line with international climate goals.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Sara Shaw, a campaigner for Friends of the Earth International, described the ruling as \u201can extraordinary victory for the climate justice movement”.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cFor the first time a fossil fuel corporation has been held responsible for their role in causing the climate crisis,\u201d Shaw told Climate Home News.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n How youth <\/strong>climate court cases became a global trend<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n “This landmark ruling now sets a precedent that corporations can be held liable for causing runaway climate change and forced to cut emissions in line with global climate goals,” said Marit Maij, executive director of ActionAid Netherlands.<\/p>\n “Big polluters beware,” she added.<\/p>\n Global fossil companies getting very nervous by this new Dutch court ruling….<\/p>\n \u2014 Bas Eickhout (@BasEickhout) May 26, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n