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 to 2019 levels.

A lower court had ordered the company to cut emissions by 45 percent by 2030, but the oil giant argued that a single firm should not be hit with arbitrary pollution-reduction requirements.

The COP29 climate conference in Baku, Azerbaijan, got off to a sombre start as climate scientists warned the world is now in the ‘final countdown to limit global temperature rise.’ On the same day, oil giant Shell won its appeal against a 2021 ruling that would have forced it to radically reduce its carbon emissions by 2030.