General – Shell
Activist groups hail ‘historic win’ as Dutch court orders multinational fossil fuel company to cut CO2 emissions by 45% by 2030.
The Shell group is responsible for its own CO2 emissions and those of its suppliers, the verdict said.
It is the first time a company has been legally obliged to align its policies with the Paris climate accords.
Though the decision only applies in the Netherlands, it could have wider effects elsewhere.
A Shell spokesperson said they “fully expect to appeal today’s disappointing court decision” and added that they are stepping up efforts to cut emissions.
“Urgent action is needed on climate change, which is why we have accelerated our efforts to become a net-zero emissions energy company by 2050,” the spokesperson said, adding that Shell was investing “billions of dollars in low-carbon energy, including electric vehicle charging, hydrogen, renewables and biofuels.”
Shell has previously said it wants net zero emissions for itself and from products used by its customers by 2050.
In December its defence lawyers told the Dutch court the company was already taking “serious steps” to move away from fossil fuels, and said there was no legal basis for the case.
Other major oil companies are also making changes amid a greater global focus on cutting emissions.