A Dutch appeals court ruled in Shell’s favor, overturning a landmark decision that ordered the British oil giant to significantly cut its carbon emissions.
The ruling reverses a 2021 verdict by a lower court in The Hague, which had mandated that Shell reduce its carbon emissions by 45 percent from 2019 levels by 2030 in line with targets set under the 2015 Paris Agreement. That decision was the first of its kind worldwide, setting a legal precedent by holding a private company accountable for a global climate agenda.
In its opinion released on Tuesday, the Court of Appeal in The Hague acknowledged that Shell, as a major oil company, has a “special responsibility” to reduce emissions and make an “appropriate contribution to preventing dangerous climate change.” However, the court concluded that setting a specific legal target for those cuts is beyond its purview….