TotalEnergies was convicted in France for misleading commercial practices.

Striking Decision from Paris Court

According to news widely covered in the national press, the Paris Criminal Court has issued its ruling in a case involving TotalEnergies, regarding the company's statements about its desire to "achieve carbon neutrality by 2050" and its role as "a significant player in the energy transition".

Deceptive Practices and Compensation

The court found that TotalEnergies engaged in deceptive commercial practices concerning environmental issues, determining that the company's statements misled consumers and affected their purchasing behavior. The company was ordered to retract the statements in question and publish the court decision on its official website.

Compensation Amounts Determined

The court also ruled that each of the plaintiffs would receive 8,000 euros in compensation and a total of 15,000 euros in court costs to be paid.

Local and International Reactions

The Belgium-based non-profit organization ClientEarth emphasized that this court decision marks the first time a oil company has been convicted for greenwashing on a global scale. Environmental organizations Greenpeace France and French associations Les Amis de la Terre France and Notre Affaire a Tous questioned TotalEnergies' statements regarding its environmental goals in the media and social media in 2022.