Grote vervuilers en de overheid veranderen niet vanzelf. Daar zijn veranderaars voor nodig. Dus kom in actie en doe met ons mee. We kunnen niet wachten.
We see the climate crisis intensifying, evidenced by severe extreme weather events like heatwaves, floods and storms, rising global temperatures, melting ice caps and increasing food and water insecurity. Too little is being done. Major polluters continue to pollute. And governments allow and even support them. We can´t solve this alone. But together, we can. Join us. We can´t wait.
Milieudefensie | Friends of the Earth Netherlands is a key player in the Dutch climate movement. In our new strategy we focus on putting pressure on 30 of the largest CO2 emitting multinationals with a basis in The Netherlands.
We will not stop until all major corporate polluters adopt effective climate plans that are in line with the 1.5°C scenario of the Paris Agreement. To achieve this, we use all the tools that we have: our success in the Shell court case, our reputation and credibility in the public debate, our strong research capacity, our connections with policy-makers and our broad national and international support base.
Our members and donors have doubled over the last 10 years. In 2024, we reached an all time record of 116,000 members and donors. Including ad-hoc support, we have a support base in the Netherlands of 230,000 people.
The Paris Climate Agreement aims to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. Exceeding this limit leads to severe and irreversible impacts of climate change. This requires drastic and immediate reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, including achieving net-zero CO2 emissions by the mid-2050s.
Large companies are crucial to reach this goal - approximately 50 companies are responsible for 80% of global CO2 emissions. These companies often escape accountability due to weak national and international laws, political influence and lack of public pressure. That is why we focus on corporate accountability.
We achieved groundbreaking success with the Shell climate case in 2021 and earned a position of authority in the public sphere. In terms of jurisprudence, it brought about a change that has already visible impact on court rulings worldwide: Companies, just like states, have an obligation to prevent dangerous climate change.
As major polluters prioritize their shareholder interests over the public interest and actively obstruct change, we adapt our strategy accordingly—to build our own countervailing power.
Read more in our Policy Framework Summary 2025-2030
Dutch civil courts represent one of the few viable arenas to establish binding legal obligations for corporate climate action. With our legal victory over Shell in 2021, the Dutch court obliged the oil major to cut its CO₂ emissions 45% by 2030 across its global operations. This was the first time a multinational was legally compelled to align with the Paris Agreement, creating a powerful precedent for corporate accountability worldwide.
In 2024, the Climate Case appeal Shell vs Milieudefensie, ruled that the oil and gas giant does have a responsibility to reduce its emissions, but has not imposed a concrete reduction obligation. However, the court made it again abundantly clear that not only countries, but also companies have a responsibility to reduce their emissions in line with the Paris Agreement. Based on this ruling, in 2025 we started a new lawsuit to prevent Shell from exploiting new oil & gas fields.
At the same time we launched legal action against ING, the Netherlands’ largest bank, for failing to align its financing with the 1.5°C pathway. By targeting the financial sector, we are breaking new ground in climate finance accountability.
Behind the scenes, we ensure that we are seen as the leading organization on the topic of climate (policy) by and for businesses, on climate equity and climate justice. We do this by conducting and commissioning research, writing public statements and lobbying on national and international platforms.
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