PARIS: In a landmark decision, a French court has convicted oil and gas giant TotalEnergies of engaging in “misleading commercial practices” by overstating its environmental commitments, marking the world’s first-ever court ruling against a major oil company for climate misinformation.
The court found that TotalEnergies’ claims about achieving carbon neutrality by 2050—while simultaneously expanding its oil and gas production—had misled consumers. The company was ordered to remove several environmental claims from its French consumer website.
While the court dismissed allegations related to the firm’s corporate communications and promotions of fossil gas and biofuels, environmental groups hailed the decision as a historic precedent in the fight against corporate greenwashing—the practice of portraying environmentally harmful activities as sustainable.
“This is the first time anywhere in the world that a major oil and gas company has been convicted for misleading the public about its climate actions,” said Greenpeace France, one of the plaintiffs.
ClientEarth, another NGO involved, celebrated the verdict as a “landmark judgment,” with lawyer Jonathan White noting it “sends a clear warning to oil and gas majors: claiming to support the energy transition while investing in new fossil projects carries real legal consequences.”
The case originated from a 2022 lawsuit filed by Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth France, and Notre Affaire à Tous. The groups argued that TotalEnergies’ marketing created a false impression of environmental responsibility despite the company’s heavy reliance on fossil fuels.
TotalEnergies, which rebranded from “Total” in 2021 to reflect its renewable energy ambitions, has yet to comment on whether it will appeal the ruling. Environmentalists, however, say the verdict sets a powerful example for how courts can hold corporations accountable for climate-related deception.
