Dutch Court Rules Oil Giant Shell Must Cut Carbon Emissions By 45% By 2030

A Dutch court on Wednesday ruled oil giant Royal Dutch Shell must reduce its carbon emissions by 45% by 2030 from 2019 levels. That's a much higher reduction than the company's current aim of lowering its emissions by 20% by 2030. CNBC reports: Shell's current climate strategy states that the company is aiming to become a net-zero emissions business by 2050, with the company setting a target of cutting its CO2 emissions by 45% by 2035. A spokesperson for Shell said the company 'fully expect to appeal today's disappointing court decision.' 'We are investing billions of dollars in low-carbon energy, including electric vehicle charging, hydrogen, renewables and biofuels,' the spokesperson said via email. 'We want to grow demand for these products and scale up our new energy businesses even more quickly.'

The lawsuit was filed in April 2019 by seven activist groups -- including Friends of the Earth and Greenpeace -- on behalf of 17,200 Dutch citizens. Court summons claimed Shell's business model 'is endangering human rights and lives' by posing a threat to the goals laid out in the Paris Agreement. Roger Cox, a lawyer for environmental activists in the case, said in a statement that the ruling marked 'a turning point in history' and could have major consequences for other big polluters.

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