A French court has found oil and gas giant TotalEnergies guilty of engaging in misleading commercial practices by overstating its climate pledges, in what campaigners are calling the world’s first judicial ruling against a major oil company for climate misinformation. The court ordered the company to withdraw several statements about its environmental goals.
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The landmark decision, which could reshape how corporations promote their climate commitments, comes amid growing regulatory scrutiny in Europe over so-called green marketing claims. Earlier this year, European courts also ruled against airlines KLM and Lufthansa for exaggerating their efforts to curb the environmental impact of air travel.
Environmental law group ClientEarth, which monitors legal action against the fossil fuel industry, described the verdict as a “historic win against greenwashing.”
“It is the first judgment in the world ruling that an oil and gas major has misled the public by greening its image,” the organization said.
The Paris court determined that TotalEnergies misled consumers through statements on its French website suggesting it could reach carbon neutrality by 2050 while simultaneously expanding oil and gas production. However, judges dismissed other complaints concerning the company’s portrayal of fossil gas and biofuels as “clean energy.”
Environmental groups including Greenpeace welcomed the ruling, calling it “a major legal precedent against climate misinformation.”
“For the first time, a major oil and gas company has been convicted for misleading the public through greenwashing its image in relation to climate change,” the groups said.
ClientEarth lawyer Jonathan White hailed the judgment as a “clear warning shot” to other oil and gas companies.
“Claiming to be part of the transition while backing new fossil fuel projects now comes with a legal price,” he said.
The case originated from a March 2022 lawsuit filed by three environmental groups, which accused TotalEnergies of deceiving the public about its ability to reach carbon neutrality while continuing fossil fuel expansion. The complaint cited around 40 promotional statements made since 2021, including the slogan “Net zero by 2050, together with society.”
At the time, TotalEnergies had rebranded from Total to emphasize its investments in renewable energy. Activists argued, however, that there remained a “significant gap” between its public messaging and its continued dependence on fossil fuels.
The court has ordered TotalEnergies to remove several claims referencing carbon neutrality and energy transition—including
“Our ambition is to be a major player in the energy transition while continuing to meet the public’s energy needs,” and
“Our ambition is to contribute to reaching net zero by 2050, together with society.”
Additionally, the court directed TotalEnergies’ electricity and gas subsidiaries in France to publish the ruling prominently on their websites.
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