Shell is facing a new court case over emissions in the Netherlands

On Tuesday, a Dutch group of climate activists filed a new court case in the Netherlands against Shell. They demanded that Shell immediately stop investing in new oil and natural gas projects.

Shell, like many of its competitors who are trying to take advantage of the booming profits in oil and gas following the outbreak the Ukraine War, has cut back on its renewable energy activities and weakened its emissions targets.

Last year, it told investors that the company aimed to increase liquefied gas sales by 4%-5% annually over the next five years. It also said that they planned to maintain "material" oil production beyond 2030.

Shell must stop developing new oil and natural gas fields. Friends of the Earth Netherlands filed the summons against Shell to stop Shell from causing climate disruption.

Shell responded by saying that the case was "unreasonable and unrealistic".

Shell said that the activist group had ignored the need for fossil fuels in the global economy and production would shift to other companies, if Shell was ordered to cease operations.

The long-running court battle of Activists against Shell

The case is a continuation of another lawsuit brought by activists in the Netherlands courts that has been pending for several years.

In 2024, a judge ruled that 'Shell' had a duty to reduce emissions in order to protect the people from global warming. The decision revoked an earlier order that set a specific target for carbon reductions by 'Shell. However, it said the company's plans of investing in new oil and gas projects may be at odds with its obligations to reduce emissions.

Shell's plans for investment were not part of the case and the appeals court was unable to rule on them. The Dutch Supreme Court will now hear the case.

The former Anglo-Dutch firm moved its headquarters to London from The Hague in 2022 but has maintained a secondary listing on the?Amsterdam Stock Exchange. Friends of the Earth has said that a Dutch court still retains jurisdiction despite Shell's decision, because the company's climate-damaging actions in the Netherlands are the reason for the move.

The date of the hearing for this new case has yet to be set. (Reporting and editing by Bart Meijer)

(source: Reuters)