Environment group loses High Court fight with Shell directors
An environment campaign organisation has lost another round of a High Court fight with directors of oil giant Shell.
Client Earth, a shareholder in Shell, had raised concern about Shell’s “climate change strategy” and wanted to make a “breach” of duties claim against directors.
A High Court judge in May refused to give ClientEarth permission to continue its claim after considering written arguments.
Client Earth has now failed in a bid to persuade Justice Trower to reconsider his decision.
The judge, who had considered oral arguments at a recent High Court hearing, in the Rolls Building in central London, on Monday ruled against Client Earth for a second time.
He concluded that that Client Earth’s application should be dismissed.
“…it appears to me that Client Earth’s application and the evidence adduced in support of it do not disclose a prima facie case for giving permission to continue the claim,” said Justice Trower in a written ruling.
“In the light of the fact that the matter has now been reconsidered at an oral hearing, I will also make an order dismissing the claim.”
Justice Trower had published a ruling in May after considering written arguments.
He had said in his May ruling that, in order to pursue its claim, Client Earth had to show there had been “an actual or proposed act or omission involving negligence, default, breach of duty or breach of trust” by a director or directors.
The judge had dismissed the charity’s application after concluding that it had not produced sufficient evidence to support its claim.
Press Association – Brian Farmer