Yemisi Izuora
French supermajor TotalEnergies, has hinted its intention to appeal a landmark decision of the Paris Judicial Court from last month, which ordered it to align its business to climate change goals as it held it responsible for climate change.
In a statement, TotalEnergies said that it had decided to appeal the ruling, rendered under the French duty of vigilance law, arguing that “climate change, as a global phenomenon, does not fall within the scope of the duty of vigilance law.”
The oil major also considers 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.” Oil.com reports.
“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 French firm said it would advance its arguments before the Paris Court of Appeal.
TotalEnergies is not the only European supermajor fighting climate orders in court.
Shell has been dragging a climate lawsuit through Dutch courts for half a decade.
Environmental activists in April 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 a victory to Shell in the first landmark climate case, overturning a lower court ruling that had obliged the supermajor to slash its greenhouse gas emissions.
The Court of Appeal of The Hague overturned the 2021 ruling of the District Court of The Hague, in the case brought against Shell by the environmentalist organization Milieudefensie, other NGOs, and a group of private individuals