The verdict was like a thunderclap. In May 2021, Shell had been ordered by a court in The Hague (Netherlands) to align itself with the objectives of the Paris Agreement by reducing its emissions by 45% by the end of 2030, compared with 2019. A world first for a company. It was the NGO Milieudefensie, the Dutch branch of Friends of the Earth, which had brought the case alongside over 17,000 citizens and other associations. But on Tuesday, the local court of appeal overturned the judgment, ruling that “ Shell cannot be held to the existing consensus in climate science regarding a 45% reduction standard. % because this percentage does not apply to each country and each business sector separately “.

A victory for the oil company, which has always considered that there was no legal basis for Milieudefensie’s claims. “ We are satisfied with the decision we think…