AMSTERDAM, April 2 (Reuters) - A Dutch court will on

Tuesday hear Shell's appeal against a landmark climate

ruling which ordered it to drastically deepen planned greenhouse

gas emission cuts.

The district court in The Hague in 2021 ordered the oil and

gas giant to reduce its planet warming carbon emissions by 45%

by 2030 from 2019 levels.

The order related both to Shell's own emissions and those

caused by the buyers and users of its products. It came amid

rising pressure on energy companies from investors, activists

and governments to shift away from fossil fuels and rapidly ramp

up investment in renewables.

Shell has argued that the order lacks a legal base and says

companies cannot be held responsible for the emissions of their

clients.

"We agree that the world needs urgent climate action, but we

have a different view in how that goal should be achieved," the

company said in a statement on its website.

"By focusing on one company, and only on the supply of

energy rather than the demand for it, we believe the ruling is

ineffective and even counterproductive in addressing climate

change."

Friends of the Earth Netherlands, which brought the case,

said it was confident heading into the appeal.

"The scientific basis on which we've founded our claims

against Shell has only solidified," the group's lawyer Roger Cox

said.

"I am confident that we can once again convince the judges

that Shell needs to act in line with international climate

agreements."

Shell earlier this month weakened a 2030 carbon reduction

target and scrapped a 2035 objective, citing expectations for

strong gas demand and uncertainty in the energy transition, even

as it affirmed a plan to cut emissions to net zero by 2050.

The company in its statement before the appeal said it was

"not ignoring" the court order, pointing out its $10-15 billion

investments in low-carbon energy solutions between 2023 and the

end of 2025.

"We believe the actions we are taking are consistent with

the ruling and its end of 2030 timeline," the company said.

Shell now targets a 15-20% reduction in net carbon intensity

of its energy products by 2030, compared with 2016 intensity

levels. It had previously aimed for a 20% cut.

The court has planned four days of hearings for the appeal

this month. A verdict is expected in the second half of the

year.