A Landmark Trial in France
In France, a historic trial has put TotalEnergies in the spotlight. The case is the first to accuse a big oil and gas company of “greenwashing,” a term used when a company says it is doing good for the environment, even though it isn’t. Environmental groups say TotalEnergies misled people about how good natural gas is for the environment.
The trial began on a busy Thursday, drawing many observers, including lawyers and journalists. At the heart of the trial is the company’s rebranding in 2021. Total changed its name to TotalEnergies and promised to become a “major actor in the energy transition.”
However, environmental groups are saying that TotalEnergies’ claims are false. They argue that the company is not truly trying to help the environment because it is still growing its fossil fuel production. They say that TotalEnergies has made misleading statements in 44 different advertisements and social media posts.
Arguments from Both Sides in TotalEnergies Trial
The environmental groups in the trial include Greenpeace, Notre affaire à tous, and Friends of the Earth. They say TotalEnergies is telling people that natural gas is good for the planet. In reality, natural gas releases a lot of methane into the air when it is made and transported.
Methane is a dangerous greenhouse gas. It holds 80 times more heat in the air than carbon dioxide, but only for about 20 years. Even though carbon dioxide stays in the air much longer, methane’s strong heat-trapping power makes it very harmful in the short term.
A lawyer for the environmental groups said that TotalEnergies tried to make natural gas look like a clean, green energy source. She called this idea “seriously erroneous.” The groups argue that natural gas is not as good as the company claims.
In their defense, TotalEnergies said that many of the messages in question were not meant for consumers. They said the advertisements and social media posts were aimed at explaining how the company was changing and growing its renewable energy sources. A lawyer for TotalEnergies said that the company never said fossil fuels were good for the climate.
TotalEnergies’ Promotion of Gas
TotalEnergies says that natural gas is a “transitional fuel.” This means they think gas can help people move from dirty fuels like coal and oil to cleaner energy in the future. TotalEnergies says that they are working to create more electricity from wind and solar power too.
Since 2021, TotalEnergies has planned to produce 100 terawatt-hours of electricity from renewable energy by 2030. This amount is about one-fifth of its planned fossil fuel production at that time.
However, the company has also kept growing its fossil fuel projects by about 3 percent each year. It has invested in large natural gas projects in places like Qatar and Mozambique. The company points to a study by Wood Mackenzie, which says that liquefied natural gas (LNG) has 60 percent lower warming potential than coal over 100 years.
The company says that these natural gas projects will help the planet more than using coal and oil. They argue that natural gas is part of a slow but needed change to cleaner energy. This position, though, has sparked criticism from the environmental groups.
Demands for Change
In this trial, the environmental groups are asking the court to make TotalEnergies change how it talks about its energy plans. They want TotalEnergies to add banners on its ads and social media posts that make it clear the company is still growing its fossil fuel production.
The environmental groups say that TotalEnergies should stop telling people that gas is clean and green. They argue that people need honest information so they can make better choices.
TotalEnergies, on the other hand, says that the groups’ demands are too extreme. Their lawyer says that moving away from fossil fuels will take time, money, and new technologies. She even mentioned that Greenpeace still uses fuel-powered boats for its own campaigns.
As the courtroom arguments ended, both sides stuck to their positions. Now, everyone waits for the court’s decision on October 23. This case could be a big moment for environmental groups and oil companies in France. It shows how tricky the move to clean energy can be—and how important it is to be honest about what companies are really doing for the planet.
