Oil giant Shell has welcomed a decision by the Dutch Court of Appeal , which overturned a 2021 ruling that had ordered the company to drastically reduce its global carbon emissions.
The Netherlands Court of Appeal dismisses appeal
The initial ruling was issued by the District Court of The Hague , which imposed a mandatory reduction of 45% of polluting gas emissions by 2030, compared to 2019 levels. However, the Court of Appeal concluded that the measure was not appropriate to meet the objectives of the global energy transition.
“ We are pleased with the court’s decision, which we believe is the right one for the global energy transition, for the Netherlands and for our company .”
Wael Sawan, CEO of Shell.
Despite the court ruling, Shell reaffirms that its long-term strategy remains the decarbonisation of its operations. By 2030, the company has committed to halving emissions from its direct operations ( scopes 1 and 2 ), a goal it is successfully achieving.
In addition, Shell has invested between $10 and $15 billion in low-carbon energy solutions, including: Electric vehicle charging, biofuels , renewable energy , hydrogen and carbon capture and storage .
“ We are making good progress on our strategy to deliver more value with lower emissions ,” Sawan added. The company has achieved more than 60% of its emissions reduction target for its operations through 2023, and has reduced the carbon intensity of energy products sold, moving towards its net-zero emissions goal.
Shell recognises the importance of secure energy for future economies as the value of people’s lives. The company believes that a court ruling will not solve the global challenges of climate change. Instead, smart government policies, along with investment and action across all sectors, are the key to moving towards a low-carbon society.
With this ruling, Shell continues its path towards decarbonisation , confident that its comprehensive approach to investing in clean energy, combined with its efforts to reduce global emissions, will drive progress towards a sustainable future.
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Source: Shell
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