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A French civil court has ruled that oil giant TotalEnergies misled consumers in its 2021 advertising campaign, which claimed the company could achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. This landmark decision represents the first application of France’s greenwashing law against an energy company and establishes a new benchmark for corporate accountability in climate matters.
As part of the ruling, the court ordered TotalEnergies to remove misleading statements regarding its carbon neutrality and energy transition from its website. The company is also required to post a link to the court’s decision for 180 days, or face daily fines of up to 20,000 euros (approximately $23,300). Additionally, TotalEnergies must pay 8,000 euros ($9,330) in damages to each of the three environmental organizations involved in the case—Friends of the Earth France, Greenpeace France, and Notre Affaire à Tous—along with 15,000 euros ($17,500) to cover legal costs.
The court found that TotalEnergies misrepresented its commitment to the Paris Climate Accords. The ruling cited evidence from prominent organizations, including the International Energy Agency (IEA), the UN Environment Programme, and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which advocate for a significant reduction in fossil fuel emissions to meet global climate targets. The court concluded that TotalEnergies created a misleading impression that purchasing its products contributed to a low-carbon economy without clarifying its ongoing expansion of oil and gas production.
Specifically, the court mandated that TotalEnergies remove three statements from its website, including its ambition to become a major player in the energy transition and its claim to prioritize sustainability in line with UN objectives. The ruling did not address the accuracy of claims regarding natural gas and biofuels or the viability of TotalEnergies’ roadmap to carbon neutrality by 2050.
Environmental groups welcomed the ruling as a significant turning point in the fight against greenwashing, stating that it marks the first time a major oil and gas firm has been held accountable for misleading the public about its environmental practices. This decision coincides with a broader movement in Europe to combat deceptive environmental marketing, as regulators seek to impose stricter penalties for false sustainability claims.
TotalEnergies, which underwent rebranding from Total in 2021, has expressed intentions to invest more in renewable energy while continuing its oil and gas operations. Despite claiming to have 30 gigawatts of renewable capacity, over 97 percent of its income for 2024 is expected to come from non-sustainable activities.
The case against TotalEnergies may serve as a model for future climate litigation worldwide, as consumers become increasingly vigilant about sustainability claims. The French court’s decision underscores the importance of transparency and accountability in corporate climate communications, signaling that misleading marketing practices will no longer be tolerated.
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