Dutch Court Requires Shell to Lower Emissions

May 27, 2021
The court mandates a reduction of emissions by 2030, though it's unclear how the ruling could be enforced internationally.

May 27, 2021—A Dutch court ruled that Royal Dutch Shell must increase efforts to reduce emissions to mitigate climate change, reports The New York Times.

The court-mandated target is a reduction of emissions by 45 percent by 2030. The company itself has a net-zero emissions target for 2050 and told the Times that it would appeal the court decision.

The ruling is likely only to apply in the Netherlands, where the ruling took place, and it's difficult to enforce such a ruling with a sprawling international company like Shell. Company subsidiaries include Quaker State, Pennzoil, and Jiffy Lube.

Image: Shell