The business model of one of the world's biggest oil companies, Shell, hangs in the balance tonight after court hearings draw to a close in the Hague on the compatibility of the Dutch oil giant's business with climate goals.
Shell is one of the largest polluters in the world. It emits twice as much CO2 as the entire Netherlands put together. If we want to prevent the earth from warming up by more than 1.5 degrees, companies like Shell will have to change. Unfortunately, that does not happen easily. That is why Friends of the Earth Netherlands has initiated a lawsuit.
The groundbreaking Dutch climate case against Shell reaches the courtroom this December, with public hearings on 1, 3, 15 and 17 in The Hague, Netherlands. If successful, this court case would rule that Shell must reduce its CO2 emissions in line with the Paris Climate Agreement.
Friends of the Earth Netherlands (Milieudefensie) director Donald Pols said:
Shell’s climate ambitions are nowhere near enough to prevent further global warming, according to new research by the OCI (Oil Change International). The OCI examined the climate plans of 8 oil giants. It found that if their plans are implemented, it will be impossible to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees.
Stories of solidarity under coronavirus
Coronavirus hasn’t affected everyone equally. We're sharing stories from across our European and global network of what lockdown and life under coronavirus look like around the world. Hearing from those who are among the worst affected, and how they are taking action.
Nearly 10 years after a clean-up was urged for areas polluted by Shell and other oil companies in the Niger Delta, work has begun on only 11% of planned sites while vast areas remain heavily contaminated, according to a new investigation by Friends of the Earth Europe, Amnesty International, ERA and Milieudefensie.
According to a European Commission study on human rights due diligence published today, voluntary measures have not succeeded in protecting workers, communities, and the environment from systematic human rights violations linked to the global supply chains of European businesses and financial institutions.
A year and a half ago, Friends of the Earth began a lawsuit against Shell in the Netherlands, led by Milieudefensie / Friends of the Earth Netherlands. We served Shell legal papers summoning them to court for climate crimes.
This week we received Shell's response. What we can already see from their arguments is that Shell believes it is already doing enough to combat the climate emergency.
Today Friends of the Earth Netherlands received Shell's long awaited re-sponse to the legal summons demanding it acts on climate change. While lawyers still need to study the 272 page legal document in detail, the response shows that Shell does not intend to meet the plaintiffs' demands.
Friends of the Earth Netherlands' Director Donald Pols says, "Shell once again takes no responsibility for the disproportionate role it plays in aggravating the climate crisis. Shell is undermining the world's chanc-es to stay below 1.5°C."
Civil society organisations demand fossil free politics
The world’s five big oil and gas majors and their lobbyists have spent at least 251 million euros lobbying the EU since 2010, new research reveals – as almost 200 civil society organisations demand fossil free politics.