Written by Stephanie van den Berg
AMSTERDAM – A Dutch court on Tuesday accepted Shell’s ( LON: ) appeal against a landmark climate decision, overturning an order for the oil and gas company to drastically reduce emissions.
The original 2021 decision ordered Shell to reduce carbon emissions by 45% in 2030 compared to 2019 levels, including those generated by the use of its products.
An appeals court in The Hague overturned the decision, although it says Shell has a responsibility to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to protect people from global warming.
He said that Shell is on the way to meet the goals needed to release gas, it is not clear whether the demands to reduce the emissions caused by the use of their products will help fight climate change.
“Although Shell has a special responsibility as a large oil and gas company, that does not mean that we can use the general policy of reducing by 45%,” said presiding judge Carla Joustra.
Shell CEO Wael Sawan welcomed the decision, saying that Shell believes “it was right for the global energy revolution, the Netherlands and our company”.
Shell shares were trading up 0.2% in Amsterdam early on Tuesday, in line with the broader index.
The decision coincides with the COP29 UN climate conference in Baku, Azerbaijan, where the resolution of last year’s talks to divest from the use of fossil fuels will be discussed.
Climate activist group Friends of the Earth Netherlands, which filed the lawsuit in 2019, said it will continue to fight against major polluters.
“This is sad,” said team director Donald Pols. “At the same time, this case has shown that big polluters are not above the law.”
Friends of the World did not say whether they would appeal again to the Dutch Supreme Court.
