Historic judgment

Shell Group must sharply reduce emissions

(Bild: AFP)

A historic verdict has been reached in a huge climate trial in the Netherlands: The oil and natural gas company Shell has been ordered to significantly reduce its carbon dioxide emissions. The company must reduce its CO2 emissions by a net 45 percent by 2030 compared to 2019, the court in The Hague declared on Wednesday.

Shell was obliged by the court to protect the climate, which applies to its own companies as well as to suppliers and end customers. The company hadrejected the claims and argued that it was committed to climate protection.

However, the court declared that the measures adopted by the company were "not very concrete and full of reservations". Shell had argued that it would have to quickly reduce the sale of fossil fuels if it was convicted. But then other suppliers would take over. The court did not accept this argument. Other companies also had the same obligation.

Several environmental organizations and more than 17,000 citizens had sued the company. The plaintiffs argued that Shell was violating global climate targets and continuing to invest heavily in oil and gas extraction.