TotalEnergies to Appeal Court Order on Climate Goals

In a statement, TotalEnergies stated that the appeal is based on the argument that climate change, being a global phenomenon, falls outside the purview of the French duty of vigilance law. The company also contends that requiring energy, defense, aeronautics, or automotive companies to control risks associated with their customers' use of products is inconsistent with the law's objectives and the principles of legal certainty and freedom to conduct business.

TotalEnergies further elaborated that it aims to provide motorists with access to their chosen energy sources, whether petrol, biodiesel, or electric vehicles. The company plans to advance these arguments before the Paris Court of Appeal.

This legal challenge by TotalEnergies mirrors similar actions faced by other European energy companies. Shell, for instance, has been involved in climate litigation in Dutch courts for several years. Environmental activists recently initiated a new lawsuit against Shell in the Netherlands, demanding an end to the development of new oil and gas fields. However, a Dutch court of appeal previously overturned a lower court's ruling that had ordered Shell to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions.