A group of environmental groups backed by thousands of Dutch citizens is launching a civil case on Tuesday against the energy giant Shell, asking a court to order the multinational to commit to reining in its carbon emissions by 45 per cent by the year 2030.

The legal battle led by Milieudefensie, the Dutch arm of Friends of the Earth, is the latest in a string of cases around the world in which activists are using the courts as a venue to fight for action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from governments and companies. A victory for climate activists in a Dutch courtroom could spur even more legal challenges.