Climate protection Environmentalists take Shell to the highest court
New round in the climate lawsuit against Shell: climate activists want to force the company to drastically reduce CO2 emissions. Shell won a victory in court in 2024 - but it was no carte blanche.
12.02.2025, 10:04
SDA
In the climate proceedings against the British oil and gas company Shell, Dutch environmentalists are now taking the case to the highest court. The environmental organization Milieudefensie announced in The Hague that it would appeal against the 2024 ruling.
At the end of 2024, the civil court in The Hague rejected a claim by climate activists and ruled that the company did not have to drastically reduce CO2 emissions. The judges had thus overturned a historic climate ruling by the court of first instance.
The civil judges had declared at second instance that Shell had to work to protect the climate. However, the judges refused to oblige the company to make a comprehensive CO2 reduction. This is what the environmentalists want to achieve before the highest instance, the High Council. It is not yet known when a decision will be made.
The energy company reacted confidently. "We are convinced that we will also be proven right by the High Council," said Dutch Shell CEO Frans Everts to radio station NOS.
Historic ruling
In 2021, the civil judges ordered Shell to make a comprehensive CO2 reduction - a net 45% reduction compared to 2019 - and this also included indirect emissions, namely those from suppliers and customers.
The lawsuit was filed in the Netherlands, as Shell also had a registered office in The Hague at the time of the lawsuit. The climate proceedings attracted worldwide attention.
