TotalEnergies Under Fire: Allegations of False Climate Neutrality Promises
Trial initiated against TotalEnergies concerning climate change commences in Paris - Environmental Protests Targeting TotalEnergies Initiate in Paris
Hey there! Let's talk about the hot topic that's making waves in Paris – the lawsuit against TotalEnergies, one of France's top energy giants.
TotalEnergies, formerly known as Total, rebranded in 2021 and launched an extensive advertising campaign touting investments in low-carbon energies. The company aims to achieve climate neutrality by 2050, a goal it emphasizes is achievable "together with society." Naturally, gas was hailed as the "fossil fuel with the lowest CO2 emissions" and marketed as a climate-friendly alternative to oil and coal[1].
However, environmental organizations aren't buying it. They claim that TotalEnergies' advertising doesn't align with the company's actual activities[2]. In fact, these groups argue that the company is peddling a "green image" that isn't grounded in reality[3].
The NGOs have taken their concerns to court, demanding an immediate ban on misleading business practices[4]. If successful, this could send a strong message to other companies still leaning heavily on fossil fuels.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, TotalEnergies isn't seeing eye-to-eye with these groups. The company denies that its advertisements are misleading and instead classifies them as institutional communication, arguing that they fall outside the scope of consumer law[4].
TotalEnergies has faced similar accusations in the past. In 2023, a German court ruled in favor of the environmental group German Environmental Aid, which had sued TotalEnergies for making misleading climate neutrality promises when selling heating oil[5].
Greenwashing isn't an uncommon tactic these days. Just recently, the Cologne Regional Court in Germany banned Lufthansa from advertising the carbon offset of its flights due to false claims that travelers could make their flights climate neutral by paying a sum of money[6].
Just a heads up, the lawsuit against TotalEnergies was filed back in March 2022, and as of June 2025, it's still unfolding. We’ll keep you posted on the latest developments!
- The EC countries could consider implementing stricter employment policies within the industry, particularly for energy companies, to ensure that their environmental-science and climate-change initiatives are reflected in their employment policy and overall operations.
- Science plays a crucial role in evaluating the authenticity of claims made by companies like TotalEnergies regarding their investments in low-carbon energies and claims of achieving climate neutrality by 2050.
- Finance institutions should exercise caution when funding energy companies like TotalEnergies, particularly if the companies' advertising and environmental initiatives aren't aligned with their actual activities, to avoid contributing to greenwashing and climate inaction.
