Milieudefensie Files Climate Lawsuit Against ING for High Emissions

Milieudefensie Files Climate Lawsuit Against ING for High Emissions

2025-02-28 green

Netherlands, Friday, 28 February 2025.
Milieudefensie accuses ING of emitting greenhouse gases equivalent to 1.5 times the Netherlands’ annual output, amplifying climate change, and demands a 48% emission reduction by 2030.

Scope of ING’s Environmental Impact

According to recent findings, ING’s total greenhouse gas emissions consist of operational emissions accounting for less than 0.1% and financed emissions making up 99.9% of their carbon footprint [1]. In September 2024, the bank disclosed ‘scope 3’ emissions of 264 megatons, revealing a dramatic increase from their previously reported 57 megatons [1]. The bank’s actual climate impact extends further through its substantial asset management operations, with at least 150 billion euros invested in various companies on behalf of clients [1].

The climate lawsuit is set to officially commence on March 28, 2025, when Milieudefensie and hundreds of co-plaintiffs will deliver the summons to ING’s headquarters in Amsterdam [2][3]. The environmental organization demands that ING reduce its carbon emissions by at least 48% by 2030 compared to 2019 levels [4]. ING has dismissed these demands as ‘unrealistic’ and ‘unreasonable’ [4], setting the stage for a significant legal confrontation.

Financial Involvement in Fossil Fuels

A report released on February 6, 2025, by SOMO revealed that ING’s financing of companies initiating new oil and gas fields is ten times larger than what the bank itself reports [5]. This disclosure coincided with ING’s announcement of a €6.3 billion annual profit [5]. The bank’s current climate targets are limited to just €1.2 billion in oil and gas lending, while their actual exposure to the sector amounts to tens of billions of euros [1].

Broader Implications

Milieudefensie, founded in 1971 and based in Amsterdam, brings significant environmental advocacy experience to this legal challenge [6]. Donald Pols, Milieudefensie’s director, has emphasized the unprecedented nature of this case, stating that ING is ‘the most polluting bank in the Netherlands’ and is exacerbating dangerous climate change [3]. The lawsuit builds upon a previous successful case against Shell, where the court mandated emissions reductions and concluded that new oil and gas field development contradicts the Paris Climate Agreement [3].

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Climate change Lawsuit