The Dutch environmental organisation Milieudefensie (Friends of the Earth Netherlands) has called on 29 businesses to come up with a concrete plan on how to reduce their CO2 emissions by 45% before 2030. 🌍
They have until April 15 to deliver their plan — and if they fail to do so, Milieudefensie says they will take it all to court. The environmental organisation has won a huge case against Shell earlier this year, so they’re not messing around.
What kind of plan?
Milieudefensie demands that the plan will outline concrete climate action on how to cut back CO2 emissions in the next eight years. They are required to state how much CO2 they emit now, to which level they want to reduce it and how they’re going to do that.
Donald Pols, director of Milieudefensie, tells the NOS that CO2 emissions will have to be reduced significantly within the next eight years to lastingly avert a climate catastrophe. This is why they started the campaign.
Who’s on the hitlist?
Milieudefensie targets some of the 29 biggest companies in the Netherlands. There are those who contribute directly to CO2 emissions, such as the Dutch airline KLM, and Schiphol Airport.
But the environmental organisation also has its eyes on companies who contribute to climate change more indirectly. For example, Dutch banks Rabobank and ING will have to reevaluate how much of their funding goes towards the burning of fossil fuels.
Shell paved the way
That this demand is something to take seriously became evident earlier this year when Milieudefensie won a landmark case against Dutch-British multinational Shell. Shell was forced to commit to cut back its CO2 emissions by 50% in the next couple of years.
Milieudefensie was backed by the international Paris agreement, as well as six other environmental organisations including Greenpeace and FossilvrijNL. So far, 17,000 Dutch citizens supported the cause with a petition.
Holding companies responsible for their climate impact yay or nay? Tell us what you think in the comments!
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