In April 4th, 2018, Dutch NGO Milieudefensie started a lawsuit against Shell. On February 12th, 2019, six other Dutch NGO’s joined Milieudefensie as plaintiffs (those who bring a case to court) . On the other side of the court, there was Shell. Shell is listed as 7th in the top 20 companies that contributed to global warming with historical emissions (1965 - 2017), almost four times higher than the Netherlands; of these emissions, 90% originate from their products, and 10% from the extraction and transport of the fossil fuels. The court ruled that Shell is obliged to reduce the CO2 emissions of the Shell group’s activities by net 45% at end 2030, relative to 2019,
This article examines the debates surrounding the future of small island nations such as Kiribati, which may completely disappear under the rising sea in the next 25 years. Rather than becoming “climate refugees” the I-Kiribati would prefer to move legally, with their rights fully respected, either as skilled workers or as part of a “deliberate relocation strategy” to Fiji. This too, however, doesn’t come without its challenges. - According to the IPCC Kiribati may completely disappear by 2050. - There is no legal status for so-called “climate refugees”, so what are people forcefully displaced by the climate crisis? The I-Kiribati do not want to become “climate refugees” and are pursuing, instead, “Migration with Dignity” and the possibility of relocation to Fiji.
This article follows up on the previous article “What is climate justice” exploring where these terms appear in the international climate change regime and explaining the different concepts.
Climate justice comprises several types of justice: distributive; procedural; intergenerational and compensatory. This article also addresses the principles of climate justice.
Underdeveloped and developing countries today have an opportunity that the world’s current industrial superpowers didn't have when they were developing; these countries can modernize through the use of renewable energy sources.
Green energy currently presents opportunities for more jobs than oil and gas. However, changes will have to involve careful consideration of the people that had previously gained their livelihood from the fossil fuel industry.