Dutch environmental organisation, ‘Milieudefensie’, took oil and gas company ‘Shell’ to court, in a case they have been building since 2018
The case against Shell in the Netherlands was backed up by six additional organisations, including Greenpeace, and 17,000 co-plaintiffs.
Since the first hearing began in December 2020, a decision was made recently whereby Shell must reduce their CO2 emissions by 45 per cent. This reduction must be reached by 2030.
In the meantime, Shell is legally required to continue actively reducing its CO2 emissions.
In 2007, Shell’s CO2 emissions were at their peak, sitting at their lowest in 2020. Between 2007 and 2020, their carbon dioxide emissions decreased by 19 million tons. However, this reduction was not enough to meet the current standards and requirements necessary to reduce their impact on climate change.
Greenpeace released a statement labelling Shell as the “biggest polluter in the Netherlands“. They also mentioned that they are responsible for emitting “nine times as much CO2” as the Netherlands combined, despite their awareness of the damage this has on the climate.
As a result, Shell is required to pump much less coal and gas than they currently are.
BREAKING: Shell’s become the 1st company in history held legally liable for contributing to climate change. A Dutch court ordered it to cut its CO2 emissions by 45% by 2031 and ruled it’s responsible for its customers’ emissions. Landmark case brought by @milieudefensie & others
— Isabella Kaminski (@Isabella_Kam) May 26, 2021
It is believed that the decision will spark ambition worldwide, by setting an active precedent holding oil and gas companies accountable for their actions.
If Shell refuses to abide by the new restrictions, additional global pressures will be put upon politicians and oil and gas companies to ensure that environmental impact is minimised.
Miliudefensie state that only 4 per cent of Shell’s investments go towards sustainable energy.
This places significant strain on the environment, causing CO2 levels to continue soring and ocean levels to continue rising, inevitably leading to irreversible destruction of the earth, and unstable migration of the world’s populations.
Shell’s responsibility is to ensure that its actions do not result in placing society and the environment in danger.
@Shell ordered by court to cut #CO2 emissions by 45% by 2030 is the biggest game changer to save the planet from #FossilFuel cartels
All other members of that cartel are now on notice
Get the f’n picture yet @ausgov? Coal is dead ☠️ You’re wasting liveshttps://t.co/6qHVm9xKFS
— Darryl 🌪️Viva la Entropy🌪️ Morris (@o0ragman0o) May 27, 2021
In what appears to be more a matter of business than ethics for Shell, they released a statement claiming to have invested “billions of dollars in low-carbon energy“.
Shell went on to state that they wish to “grow demand for these products” to increase their “new energy businesses rapidly”.
The court rulings confirm legal recognition of havoc wreaked by the fossil fuel industry. This major progress reveals hope for the future of our environment in the face of climate change and that powerful corporations will be held accountable for any negligence.
