Posted by John Donovan 2 April 2024
In a bizarre turn of events that left many scratching their heads in disbelief, Shell has taken to the courts to argue that saving the planet might just be a tad too expensive. Because who needs clean air and a livable future when you can have cheap gas and record profits, am I right?
As a crucial climate case unfolded in The Hague, lawyers for Shell PLC pulled out all the stops with their jaw-dropping argument: If ordinary citizens can’t afford their energy bills, then forget about saving the planet. Because apparently, the only thing standing between us and climate catastrophe is the price of a monthly utility bill.
In what can only be described as a masterclass in corporate doublespeak, Shell’s lawyer, Daan Lunsingh Scheurleer, solemnly declared in court: “If people can no longer pay for their energy or that energy is no longer reliable… the support of people in the country… for the energy transition will be lost.” Translation: Sorry, folks, but saving the planet is just too damn expensive.