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FinanceTotalEnergies appeals landmark court order to align business with climate goals
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TotalEnergies has announced it will appeal a landmark ruling by the Paris Judicial Court that ordered the French oil and gas supermajor to align its business operations with climate change goals under the French duty of vigilance law. In a statement, TotalEnergies argued that climate change, as a global phenomenon, falls outside the scope of the law, and that imposing such obligations on energy, defense, and automotive sectors would undermine legal certainty and business freedom. The company emphasized it does not control consumer choices regarding fuel types. The appeal will be heard by the Paris Court of Appeal. The article also notes that Shell is facing similar climate litigation in the Netherlands, where a Dutch appeals court recently overturned a previous ruling that had required Shell to slash its emissions.
Source report
TotalEnergies has announced it will appeal a landmark decision by the Paris Judicial Court, which last month ordered the French supermajor to align its business with climate change goals and held it responsible for climate change.
In a statement released on Monday, TotalEnergies said it had decided to challenge the ruling, which was issued under the French duty of vigilance law. The company argued that "climate change, as a global phenomenon, does not fall within the scope of the duty of vigilance law."
The French supermajor further stated that "imposing companies in energy, defense, aeronautics, or automotive sectors to control risks resulting from the use of their products by their customers does not appear to be consistent with the objectives of the law, or the principles of legal certainty and freedom to conduct business."
"TotalEnergies does not decide whether a motorist chooses to drive a petrol-powered vehicle, use biodiesel, or drive an electric vehicle," the oil and gas supermajor said, adding that it "seeks to ensure that motorists have access to the energy they choose to use."
The company confirmed it would present its arguments before the Paris Court of Appeal.
Broader Legal Context
TotalEnergies is not the only European supermajor contesting climate-related court orders.
- Shell has been engaged in a climate lawsuit in Dutch courts for half a decade.
- In April, environmental activists launched a new lawsuit against Shell in the Netherlands, demanding that the supermajor stop bringing new oil and gas fields on stream to avoid additional emissions.
- In 2024, a Dutch court of appeal handed Shell a victory in the first landmark climate case, overturning a lower court ruling that had required the supermajor to slash its greenhouse gas emissions.
- The Court of Appeal of The Hague reversed the 2021 ruling of the District Court of The Hague, which had been brought against Shell by the environmentalist organization Milieudefensie, other NGOs, and a group of private individuals.
By Michael Kern for Oilprice.com
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TotalEnergies Appeals Landmark French Court Order to Align Business with Climate Goals