01/06/2021

Dutch Court orders Shell to reduce CO2 emissions in landmark climate change case

In a significant decision handed down on 26 May 2021, a Dutch court (the Hague District Court) found oil giant Shell responsible for CO2 reduction ordering Shell to cut greenhouse emissions by net 45% at end 2030, relative to 2019. This is the first time that any court in the world has ordered a fossil fuel company to comply with global climate goals and to become aligned with the Paris Agreement.

In a class action brought by Milieudefensie, and other NGOs, against Royal Dutch Shell (RDS), seeking to obtain an order for RDS to reduce its emissions in line with the objective of the Paris Agreement, a Dutch Court handed down a ground-breaking judgment last week in Milieudefensie et al v Shell. In an unprecedented judgment, the Court found oil giant Shell obliged to reduce the CO2 emissions of the entire Shell group’s activities by net 45% at end 2030, relative to 2019, through the Shell group’s corporate policy.

Download the full article (PDF, 455KB)