The Netherlands: What the Dutch court carbon emissions ruling means for Shell

A Dutch court on Wednesday ordered Royal Dutch Shell (RDSa.L) to significantly deepen planned greenhouse gas emission cuts, in a landmark ruling that could pave the way for legal action against energy companies around the world. read more

Shell said it was "disappointed" by the ruling which it plans to appeal.

Here are some key points about the ruling:

WHAT WAS THE RULING? The district court ordered Shell to cut its absolute carbon emissions by 45% by 2030 compared to 2019 levels. Shell currently aims to reduce the carbon intensity of products it sells by 20% over the same period from a 2016 baseline.

DOES THE RULING AFFECT SHELL'S GLOBAL OPERATIONS? Yes. The reduction relates to Shell's global operations and is not limited to the Netherlands, the court ruling said. WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR SHELL? The ruling said that "it is up to RDS (Royal Dutch Shell) to design the reduction obligation, taking account of its current obligations and other relevant circumstances." Shell earlier this year announced a strategy to become a net zero emissions company by 2050, meaning its absolute emissions will also be net zero at that point. It has stated that it believes its emissions peaked in 2018.[USN:L1N2KH0LV] ABSOLUTE TARGETS VS INTENSITY TARGETS? The court ordered Shell to reduce absolute emissions by 45%. Shell's short and medium-term targets are intensity based. Intensity-based targets measure the amount of greenhouse gas emissions per unit of energy produced. That means that absolute emissions can rise with growing production, even if the headline intensity metric falls. At its annual general meeting this month, Shell CEO Ben van Beurden rejected setting absolute reduction targets, saying: "Reducing absolute emissions at this point in time is predominantly possible by shrinking the business."

HOW BIG ARE SHELL'S GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS? Shell, the world's largest oil and gas trader, produced 1.38 billion tonnes of CO2 in 2020, roughly 4.5% of global energy-related emissions that year, based on International Energy Agency figures. Shell's 2020 emissions were down from 1.65 billion tonnes the previous year, largely as a result of a fall in oil and gas demand due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Read More at: Explainer: What the Dutch court carbon emissions ruling means for Shell | Reuters

Britain-EU Relations: Thousands of EU citizens refused UK entry in three months since Brexit took effect

Thousands of EU citizens were refused entry at the UK border in the first three months of 2021, representing a major surge in cases despite a decline in travel due to the coronavirus pandemic.

As many as 3,294 EU citizens were blocked from entering the UK in the first quarter of 2021, according to new data published by the British government.

The figure represents a major increase from the first quarter of last year, when fewer than 500 EU citizens were denied entry, despite travel rates being significantly higher.

Read more at: Thousands of EU citizens refused UK entry in three months since Brexit took effect | Euronews

EU: The climate X factor – by Sanna Marin

Climate change and biodiversity loss are the most pressing challenges of our time, so all responsible political leaders must offer long-term policies for confronting them effectively. We need clear strategies based on achievable targets, and we must be bold in deploying all means at our disposal. In particular, any credible climate strategy must take proper account of technological innovation.

With the goal of becoming climate neutral by 2035 and carbon negative (removing more atmospheric carbon than is emitted) soon thereafter, Finland’s climate targets are among the most ambitious in the world. My country aims to be a leader among advanced economies, not just in terms of emissions reductions but also by ushering in a circular economy focused on sustainability and the elimination of waste. Our plan is to double our resource efficiency and circularity rate (the percentage of all material that is fed back into the economy) by 2035.

Read more at: The climate X factor – Sanna Marin

The Netherlands: World's most expensive drug may not be covered by Dutch insurance

A drug to treat a rare muscle disease which affects some 20 children in the Netherlands a year should not be included in the basic insurance package unless the price is halved, government advisory group Zorginstituut Nederland has said in new recommendations.

In addition, pharmaceutical company Novartis should also agree to payment on the basis of the actual results, the institute said. Zolgensma, known as the most expensive drug in the world, is used to treat spinal muscular dystrophy (SMA) and costs €1.9m per treatment. The institute estimates that if the cost were halved, the drug would add some €11m to the Dutch healthcare budget a year.

Read more at: World's most expensive drug may not be covered by Dutch insurance - DutchNews.nl

The Netherlands: Magical Photos of Spring in the Netherlands

As a full-time landscape photographer, I normally travel the world a lot. But because of COVID-19, last year I was obviously mainly at home in the Netherlands. We’re currently in spring again and more than 1 year has passed. But spring is a magical season, especially here in the Netherlands.

There is so much beauty to see (and to photograph): our tulip season, the lush greens everywhere, the cute animals, the windmills, and our beautiful forests, some covered with many flowers.

This collection of many images will hopefully transfer that spring feeling from me to you.

Read more at: Magical Photos of Spring in the Netherlands | PetaPixel

THE NETHERLANDS: Sex workers back in business as Dutch COVID curbs ease

Sex workers will go back to work in the Netherlands this week under an easing of COVID-19 curbs, health minister Hugo de Jonge said on Monday.

Authorities will also let parks, zoos, gyms and outdoor swimming pools reopen on Wednesday, after the rollout of COVID-19 vaccinations eased pressure on hospitals, the minister told reporters.

Prostitution is legal in the Netherlands, but the government barred it in mid-December under restrictions to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

Read more at: Sex workers back in business as Dutch COVID curbs ease | Reuters

EU Automobile Industry:New battery-electric vehicles take 5.7% share in Europe in Q1; hybrids 18.4%, gasoline 42.2% , diesel 23.2%

In the first quarter of 2021, hybrid electric vehicles made up 18.4% of total passenger car sales in the EU, almost doubling their market share in a year, according to data from the European Association of Automobile Manufacturers (ACEA). Demand for electrically-chargeable cars also increased in Q1: battery-electric vehicles made up 5.7% of all new cars, while plug-in hybrids accounted for 8.2% of EU registrations.

Sales of traditional fossil-fuel cars continued to decrease in the European Union, although gasoline and diesel still made up 65.4% of the car market.

Read more at: New battery-electric vehicles take 5.7% share in Europe in Q1; hybrids 18.4%, gasoline 42.2% , diesel 23.2% - Green Car Congress