On 12 November 2024, the Court of Appeal in The Hague handed down its ruling in the appeal proceedings between Shell plc and Milieudefensie, a non-governmental organization. Shell appealed a district court ruling ordering the company to reduce its global CO2 emissions by 45% by 2030 compared to 2019 levels, through the group’s corporate policy.
The Court of Appeal ruled that, while Shell is indeed obligated to reduce its CO2 emissions, a civil court cannot require it to meet specific reduction targets. As a result, the Court of Appeal overturned the ruling and rejected Milieudefensie’s claims.