By Ayomide Otitoju
TotalEnergies could be forced to scale back oil and gas production if environmental groups succeed in a trial that opened Thursday, which accuses the French energy giant of failing to properly account for environmental risks.
The case, filed by several NGOs and the city of Paris, is based on a 2017 French law imposing a “duty of vigilance” on large companies. The law requires firms to identify and prevent risks to human rights and the environment across their entire supply chain, including overseas operations.
The dispute centers on how broadly “environmental risk” should be defined. TotalEnergies’ lawyers argue the law does not cover global warming, while representatives of NGOs—including the nonprofit Sherpa—contend that selling hydrocarbons intended for combustion inherently creates environmental risks.
The NGOs also challenge the company for excluding “indirect emissions” from end users, which total roughly 342 million tonnes of CO2 per year. They are demanding that TotalEnergies halt new hydrocarbon projects and reduce oil output by 37 percent and gas production by 25 percent by 2030.
During the hearing, TotalEnergies described the lawsuit as “demonisation,” noting that the company accounts for less than two percent of global production. “Even if the company were to shut down, global warming would still continue,” one lawyer said.
The trial is scheduled to continue Friday, but a final ruling is not expected for several months. Environmental advocates hope the outcome could set a precedent for other industries, including transport.
Legal action against major polluters has increased in recent years amid growing climate concerns. In late 2024, Dutch courts overturned a landmark ruling against oil giant Shell that had required the company to cut greenhouse gas emissions, highlighting the challenges of enforcing climate accountability in courts.
