Dutch appeals court overturns landmark climate ruling against Shell

The ruling upholding Shell’s appeal came as the 12-day Cop29 UN climate conference was entering its second day in Azerbaijan

A Dutch appeals court has overturned a landmark ruling that ordered energy company Shell to cut its carbon emissions by net 45% by 2030 compared with 2019 levels (Frank Augstein/AP)

A Dutch appeals court has overturned a landmark ruling that ordered energy company Shell to cut its carbon emissions by net 45% by 2030 compared with 2019 levels, while saying that “protection against dangerous climate change is a human right”.

The decision was a defeat for the Netherlands arm of environmental group Friends of the Earth, which hailed the original 2021 ruling as a victory for the climate.