In Brief: UK lawsuit against Shell directors dismissed; EU gives final approval to anti-deforestation rules

The latest news in ESG policy and regulation.

The lawsuit against Shell board directors by non-profit ClientEarth has been dismissed by a judge in the High Court of England and Wales. The plaintiffs argued that the oil major’s 11 directors had breached their legal duties under the UK Companies Act, by failing to implement a transition strategy aligned with the Paris Agreement. Lawyers for ClientEarth, whose claim was backed by investors holding more than 12mn shares in Shell, can now request an oral hearing to ask the court to reconsider its stance.