Climate litigation turns personal as directors come under scrutiny

The recent shareholder claim against the Shell board will be a test case of how feasible it is for directors to be held responsible for the environmental and social impact of the companies they serve.

Board directors are finding themselves increasingly under scrutiny for their role as managers of their companies’ transition to a lower-carbon economy. Their responsibility will now also be tested in court, in a lawsuit filed by environmental non-profit ClientEarth against the board of oil major Shell.