WASHINGTON – The Hague district court yesterday ordered Royal Dutch Shell to cut its carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 45% within the next decade, the environmental advocacy group Friends of the Earth International said.
“For the first time in history, a judge has held a corporation liable for causing dangerous climate change. Today, as a result of legal action brought by Friends of the Earth Netherlands together with 17,000 co-plaintiffs and six other organisations, the court in The Hague ruled that Shell must reduce its CO2 emissions by 45% within 10 years. This historic verdict has enormous consequences for Shell and other big polluters globally,” Sputnik quoted the advocacy group as saying in a press release.
The Hague court found that the carbon dioxide emissions by Royal Dutch Shell violate the right to life and undisturbed family life legal provisions and should be reduced by the end of 2030, the release said.
“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 release added.
Royal Dutch Shell is obliged to comply with the judgement immediately since the company’s climate policy is not concrete enough, the release added.
Last month, the company presented its Energy Transition Strategy, which was supported by shareholders on May 18. According to CEO Ben van Beurden, the strategy is designed to bring the company activities in line with the Paris Climate Agreement that set the goal of net-zero emissions by 2050. – Bernama, May 27, 2021
