A Dutch court has overturned a ruling that ordered oil giant Shell to meet specific goals for cutting its carbon emissions.
An activist from the climate action group Extinction Rebellion holds placards as they march from the offices of oil and gas company Shell, towards Parliament Square, in central London on September 8, 2020. (Photo by ISABEL INFANTES/AFP via Getty Images)
In 2019, environmental group Friends of the Earth Netherlands, along with over 17,000 Dutch citizens sued Shell, one of the world’s biggest oil and gas companies.
Climate activists protest outside the Shell headquarters against the decision to restart drilling for gas in the Jackdaw field in the North Sea on May 8th 2022 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Jenny Matthews/In Pictures via Getty Images)
They argued that Shell's activities contribute to climate change and asked the company to reduce its emissions significantly.
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After a long legal battle, the court passed a “landmark” ruling in 2021 ordering Shell to reduce its carbon emissions, including those caused by its products, by 45% by 2030, compared to 2019 levels
Activists from Extinction Rebellion stage a protest outside corporate offices of oil company Shell demanding an end to extraction of fossil fuels. (Photo by WIktor Szymanowicz/NurPhoto)
This was the first time a court had ordered a private company to follow the international climate goals set by the Paris Agreement, according to BBC.
XR activists are holding banners in front of the doors of the Shell headquarters, in The Hague during an action against the oil company, on January 31st, 2020. (Photo by Romy Arroyo Fernandez/NurPhoto)
However, Shell decided to appeal the ruling.
Shell tanker truck with Jet-A1 aviation fuel for aircraft at Eindhoven Airport in the Netherlands, on February 1, 2023. (Photo by Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
During appeal hearings held in April 2024, Shell argued that it was "unfair" to target just one company and "unrealistic" to hold it responsible for its customers’ choices.
A XR activist is wearing the logo of the international oil company Shell with the shape of a middle finger, during the demonstration organized by XR against the fossil industry in Rotterdam, on May 19th, 2022. (Photo by Romy Arroyo Fernandez/NurPhoto)
Shell also said that only governments, not courts, can order companies to reduce emissions, according to Reuters.
Around 200 hundreds students and climate activists are protesting in front of the main building of the University of Amsterdam to demand cut ties with the oil company Shell and the university. In Amsterdam, on January 16th, 2023. (Photo by Romy Arroyo Fernandez/NurPhoto)
The environmental group countered the argument, saying that Shell is a major contributor to climate change and should also be held accountable for its emissions
Activists from Extinction Rebellion and Fossil Free London stage a protest outside Shell's corporate offices against the company's plan to move its headquarters to the United Kingdom on December 10, 2021 in London, England.
The group also pointed out Shell has continued to invest in new oil and gas projects, which contradicts the court’s previous orders and worsens the climate crisis.
A demonstrator holds a 'Stop Ecocide' placard during the protest outside Shell. (Photo by Vuk Valcic/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
On Tuesday, Nov. 12, the court issued a new ruling, saying that while Shell should work to reduce emissions, it is “not obliged” to meet specific reduction targets
Extinction Rebellion demonstrators gathered outside the Science Museum in South Kensington, as part of their ongoing protests against sponsorship of the museum by fossil fuel companies Shell and Adani. (Photo by Vuk Valcic/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
The court added that Shell is already making efforts to reduce carbon emissions and it couldn’t decide if Shell should cut emissions by a specific percentage because climate science doesn't specify an exact reduction number for companies, according to the BBC.
Protesters from Fossil Free London demonstrate outside J.P.Morgan's Canary Wharf offices as part of the action to disrupt the Energy Intelligence Forum (EIF) summit, a gathering between Shell, Total, Equinor, Saudi Aramco, and other oil giants, being held in central London. Picture date: Thursday October 19, 2023. (Photo by Lucy North/PA Images via Getty Images)
The court added that even if Shell cuts its emissions, it might not lower overall emissions because consumers could buy similar products from other companies, Reuters reported.
Activits demonstrate outside of the Shell Centre, the UK offices of Royal Dutch Shell, during an environmental protest by the Extinction Rebellion group in London on April 15, 2019. (Photo by Tolga AKMEN / AFP) (Photo by TOLGA AKMEN/AFP via Getty Images)
Shell said it was "pleased" with the ruling and is committed to net-zero emissions by 2050.
A protester is posing for a photo with his placard to express his opinion during the demonstration. Thousands of Extinction Rebellion climate activists blocked the A12 motorway in The Hague, Netherlands. (Photo by Krisztian Elek/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
It had announced in March it planned to reduce emissions from its oil products, like gasoline and diesel, by 15 to 20% by 2030 compared to 2021, which is lower than its previous goal of 20%.
British-Dutch oil and gasoline company Royal Dutch Shell PLC signage is being pictured in Warsaw, Poland, on July 29, 2024. (Photo by Aleksander Kalka/NurPhoto)
Friends of the Earth said it was disappointed with the verdict but that it would continue fighting against “large polluters” because “they are not above the law.”
A climate activist holds a placard while demonstrating outside ExCeL, in London, during the multinational oil and gas company Shell Annual General Meeting (AGM), on May 23, 2023. (Photo by Daniel LEAL / AFP)
Climate and legal experts have called the verdict an “empty victory” for Shell as the court rejected most of its arguments and still holds it responsible for reducing emissions, adding that the ruling may open the way for more lawsuits against major fossil fuel producers.
ANP/AFP via Getty ImagesProtestors at the Waterfront waiting the arrival of the Amazon Warrior . They are against the planned Shell seismic survey for oil and gas in the ocean on November 21, 2021 in Cape Town, South Africa. (Photo by Gallo Images/Brenton Geach)
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