TotalEnergies Appeals Court Ruling Mandating Climate Goal Compliance

French energy giant TotalEnergies has announced plans to appeal a landmark ruling by the Paris Judicial Court, which held the company responsible for climate change and ordered it to align its operations with global climate goals.

In a statement, TotalEnergies argued that global climate change does not fall under the scope of France’s duty of vigilance law, the legislation used to secure the ruling. The company contended that requiring businesses in sectors such as energy, defense, aerospace, and automotive to control how customers use their products is inconsistent with legal certainty and the freedom to conduct business.

“TotalEnergies does not decide whether a motorist chooses to drive a petrol-powered vehicle, use biodiesel, or drive an electric vehicle,” the company stated, emphasizing its role is simply to provide access to the energy consumers choose to use. The company plans to present these arguments before the Paris Court of Appeal.

TotalEnergies is not alone in challenging climate-related judicial mandates in Europe. Shell has been engaged in a long-standing legal battle in the Netherlands. Although climate activists launched another lawsuit in April demanding Shell halt new oil and gas developments, a Dutch appeals court recently overturned a 2021 lower court ruling that would have forced the company to drastically cut its greenhouse gas emissions.