Paris verdict due in TotalEnergies ‘greenwashing’ case

A Paris court is due to hand down a ruling Thursday whether French oil and gas giant TotalEnergies misled consumers with claims overstating its climate pledges, a case that could help shape greenwashing jurisprudence in Europe and beyond.

- NATHALIE ALONSO

The logo of TotalEnergies is seen smeared with dirt during a Greenpeace protest against polluters at the company's headquarters west of Paris last November. AFP

It is the first such case in France targeting a major energy company and could set a legal precedent for corporate environmental advertising, which is starting to face tighter regulations in the European Union.

The civil case stems from a March 2022 lawsuit by three environmental groups accusing TotalEnergies of "misleading commercial practices" for ads saying it could reach carbon neutrality while continuing oil and gas production.

The plaintiffs took that legal route as "greenwashing" - or the act of claiming to be more environmentally responsible than in reality — is not specifically covered under French law.

Starting in May 2021, TotalEnergies advertised its goal of "net zero by 2050, together with society" and touted gas as "the fossil fuel with the lowest greenhouse gas emissions".