The Hague District Court in the Netherlands, has ruled that Royal Dutch Shell must reduce emissions of Carbon Dioxide by the end of 2030 to a net 45% as compared to 2019. The court ruled that Shell must ensure such reductions for the Shell group as well as its suppliers and customers through policy the group develops. The company must show results for the reductions of its own emissions, and must make best efforts in regards to reductions for suppliers and customers. The expectation is that the company will use their influence by changing purchasing policies to persuade its suppliers to make the necessary reductions in emissions. The court will provide Shell with the freedom to shape company policy and determine how to best implement the reductions that are required.
The court did not find Shell to be in breach of its obligations already, despite claimant assertions to the contrary. However, the court did find that there exists an imminent violation of the reduction obligation since Shell does not have a concrete policy in place and since the actions in place do not note a personal responsibility to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.