TotalEnergies just got hit with a legal reality check.
A Paris court ruled that the oil and gas giant misled the public by exaggerating its climate commitments.
It was a global first against a major fossil fuel company for “greenwashing.”
The court found that the company’s claims about reaching carbon neutrality by 2050 were “misleading.”
It said the company was still ramping up oil and gas production.
TotalEnergies has been ordered to remove several of these promises from its French website.
Environmental groups are calling it a landmark victory.
“It’s the first judgment in the world ruling that an oil and gas major has misled the public by greening its image,” said ClientEarth.
Greenwashing On Trial
The group tracks legal action against polluters.
TotalEnergies, which rebranded in 2021 to highlight its move into renewables, insisted that not all allegations stuck.
Its broader corporate messaging and some claims about gas and biofuels were dismissed.
Still, activists say the verdict sends a clear signal.
“Claiming to lead the energy transition while expanding fossil fuel projects now comes at a legal price,” warned ClientEarth lawyer Jonathan White.
The message from the courtroom? You can’t polish your image green when your hands are still covered in oil.
