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May 27, 2021

Dutch Court Orders Shell Oil Company to Halve Greenhouse Gas Emissions by 2030
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In a historic ruling, a court in the Netherlands has ordered the Royal
Dutch Shell oil company to cut its greenhouse gas emissions nearly in
half by the end of the decade, in order to align its policies with the
goals of the Paris Climate Agreement. The ruling only affects Shell's
Dutch operations but sets a precedent that could rein in fossil fuel
companies far beyond the Netherlands. The case was brought by Friends of
the Earth, which celebrated its victory outside a courthouse in The
Hague. Lawyer Roger Cox argued the case.

Roger Cox: "This is a groundbreaking verdict, as far as I'm concerned.
It's the first time in the world that a large multinational CO2 polluter
like Royal Dutch Shell is ordered by the court to do its share in
avoiding dangerous climate change. … We expect that this will have a
ripple effect against other multinational oil and gas companies and coal
companies in the world."

Meanwhile, shareholders of Exxon Mobil voted unexpectedly Wednesday to
send at least two activist candidates to the company's board of
directors. It was a surprise victory for a small hedge fund that's
pushing Exxon Mobil to take the climate crisis seriously and to
accelerate the transition to clean energy. Also on Wednesday, 61% of
Chevron's shareholders voted to slash greenhouse gas emissions.


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