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Originally arguing that Shell should reduce its emissions by 45% in line with the Paris climate agreement, Dutch climate non-profit Milieudefensie has vowed to take Shell to court for a second time in quick succession.
If at first you don’t succeed, try, try, and try again.
Abiding by this mantra, Dutch climate non-profit ‘Milieudefensie’ is hoping that getting Shell back in court will prove more fruitful than the last time out.
Initially dubbed a milestone for ecological law, the outfit won its case at the Hague District Court in a 2021 ruling that stated Shell must reduce its total carbon emissions by 45% by 2030. As we said at the time, however, Shell was intent on appealing.
Three years later in 2024, the familiar kick in the stomach was delivered at the Hague Court of Appeal where the original mandate was overturned. The decision was reversed on the grounds that a court cannot legally enforce specific reduction targets, and that governments must make the decisions.
Undeterred by the knock-back, Milieudefensie is changing tact slightly but has revealed in correspondence to Shell its intention to pick up the gauntlet once more and take the oil giant back to court.
While in the background, the Dutch group hasn’t given up all hope that the Dutch Supreme Court will reinstate the original terms of 2021, it has received warning from courts that achieving a specific percentage of reduction in emissions is not realistic in any future legal pursuits.
