A court sitting in The Hague on Wednesday has ordered Royal Dutch Shell to slash its CO2 emissions by 45 per cent within 10 years.
The judgement is the outcome of legal action brought by Friends of the Earth Netherlands (Milieudefensie) together with 17,000 co-plaintiffs and six other organisations before the court in The Hague.
The court ruled that Shell must reduce its emissions by 45 per cent net by the end of 2030. The verdict adds that Shell must comply with the judgment immediately because Shell’s current climate policy is not concrete enough.
Friends of the Earth in a statement said that this verdict has enormous consequences for Shell and other big polluters globally because, for the first time in history, a judge has held a corporation liable for causing dangerous climate change.
Donald Pols, director of Friends of the Earth Netherlands, said: “This is a monumental victory for our planet, for our children and is a step towards a liveable future for everyone. The judge has left no room for doubt: Shell is causing dangerous climate change and must stop its destructive behaviour now.”
Roger Cox, lawyer for Friends of the Earth Netherlands, stated that: “This is a turning point in history. This case is unique because it is the first time a judge has ordered a large polluting company to comply with the Paris Climate Agreement. This ruling may also have major consequences for other big polluters.”
The ruling from the court, environmentalists say, in The Hague will have major ramifications internationally for climate justice. According to Sara Shaw from Friends of the Earth International: “This is a landmark victory Our hope is that this verdict will trigger a wave of climate litigation against big polluters, to force them to stop extracting and burning fossil fuels. This result is a win for communities in the global South who face devastating climate impacts now.”
Pols added that: “This verdict is an enormous step forward for the international climate movement. One of the world’s biggest polluters has finally been held responsible. I am filled with hope for the future, as we know that the climate crisis does not wait and does not stop at our borders. That is why it is so important the judge is now forcing Shell to take responsibility for its actions. This is also a clear signal to the other big polluters that they also have to act now .”
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