Netherlands: verdict in climate case against Shell - France 24

The Hague (AFP)

A Dutch court is due to deliver its verdict on Wednesday in a resounding case launched by a collective of environmental NGOs that wants to force Shell to reduce its CO2 emissions, accusing the oil giant of not doing enough to align with the Paris Agreement .

Called "the people against Shell", the initiative was launched in April 2019 by Milieudefensie, the Netherlands branch of the international organization Friends of the Earth.

More than 17,000 Dutch citizens have joined as a civil party.

Along with six other NGOs, including Greenpeace and ActionAid in the Netherlands, Milieudefensie denounces a "destruction of the climate" on the part of Shell, one of the largest oil companies in the world.

The company, for its part, is already taking serious measures to support the energy transition.

Shell also believes that this process is a matter of political decision-making and that there is no legal basis for the claims of NGOs.

But Milieudefensie believes that it is impossible to respect the Paris Agreement without "big polluters like Shell" being legally forced to take measures in this direction.

The court hearing in The Hague is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. (1:00 p.m. GMT).

"The climate case against Shell is unique because it is the first time in history that justice has been seized to order a company to emit less CO2 by changing its policy," Milieudefensie said in a statement.

The NGOs are therefore asking the Dutch courts to order Shell to reduce its CO2 emissions by 45% by 2030, "in accordance with the objectives agreed in the Paris Climate Agreement".

The Anglo-Dutch multinational currently plans to reduce the "net carbon footprint" of products sold to its customers by 30% by 2035, and 65% by 2050.

- "Historic occasion" -

Since the Paris Agreement signed in 2015, which aims to contain the rise in temperatures below 2 degrees, many manufacturers have committed to reducing their CO2 emissions, Shell promising, for example, carbon neutrality by 2050.

Despite these commitments, the group spends only 3 to 5% of its investments in renewable energies, according to a report by the think tank IEEFA (Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis) published in July.

"Big polluters like Shell have a huge responsibility to help fight climate change," said ActionAid Netherlands executive director Marit Maij.

"We hope that the judge will take this historic opportunity to hold Shell accountable for its actions and ensure that the group reduces its emissions in accordance with the Paris Agreement," she added in a statement.

In another landmark case brought by environmental organization Urgenda, the Dutch Supreme Court last year ordered the state to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by at least 25% by the end. 2020, according to Milieudefensie, creating a precedent for its action.

The Netherlands, particularly vulnerable to the consequences of climate change as part of the country is below sea level, has pledged to reduce its carbon dioxide emissions by 49% by 2030.

© 2021 AFP