Climate activists just won big in the Netherlands. In a case brought to court by a sustainability organization on behalf of over 900 Dutch citizens, the Hague District Court ruled in favor of sustainability on Wednesday, forcing the government's hand in stepping up efforts to combat climate change.
The court ordered the government to cut the country's greenhouse gas emissions by at least 25 percent by 2020. This ruling ramps up existing government policy —which lagged behind the reduction goals of other nations — that would have only achieved a 17 percent reduction by 2020. Activists are hopeful the case will set a precedent for other countries.
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