A Dutch court has ordered the government to cut greenhouse gas emissions by at least 25% by 2020, in a case environmentalists hope will set a precedent for other countries. Campaigners brought the case on behalf of almost 900 Dutch citizens. They argued that the government had a legal obligation to protect its citizens from the dangers of climate change. Government lawyers did not immediately comment on the ruling at the court in The Hague. Jasper Teulings from Greenpeace called it a ‘landmark case’. ‘It shifts the whole debate. Other cases are being brought in Belgium and the Philippines. This is the start of a wave of climate litigation. In terms of practical implementation, the government has already agreed to close coal-fired plants, increase the use of windmills and solar energy and drastically reduce gas extractions in the north of the country. The court case puts pressure on the government to speed up the process in order to meet the targets and become more energy-efficient within the next five years. The judgment is legally binding and based on ‘Tort Law’ - a general and universal concept which essentially refers to a duty to refrain from causing harm.