Key facts
- A Paris court will rule on a climate change case against TotalEnergies.
- The lawsuit argues TotalEnergies is violating a law requiring companies to prevent human rights abuses and environmental risks.
- This is the first application of the corporate duty of vigilance law to climate change.
- Plaintiffs seek a reduction in TotalEnergies' oil and gas production and a halt to new fossil fuel projects.
- The ruling occurs during a severe heatwave across Europe, with record temperatures and red alerts issued.
A Paris court is scheduled to rule on a significant climate change lawsuit against energy company TotalEnergies, which could mandate reductions in its oil and gas production. The case, brought by environmental groups including Notre Affaire à Tous, Sherpa, ZEA, and France Nature Environnement, along with the city of Paris, marks the first time France's 2017 corporate duty of vigilance law is being applied to climate change. The plaintiffs argue that TotalEnergies, as one of the largest historical emitters of greenhouse gases, is violating this law and are seeking court orders for a 37% reduction in oil production and a 25% reduction in gas production by 2030, as well as a halt to all new fossil fuel projects.
The ruling comes amid a severe heatwave gripping Europe, with record-breaking temperatures prompting red alerts in countries like the UK and Spain, and leading to restricted hours at iconic Parisian landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre Museum. The extreme weather underscores the urgency of climate change, which the UN climate agency projects will lead to more heat records in the coming years. Europe is warming at twice the global average, and the World Health Organization estimates that over 200,000 people have died from heat-related causes in Europe in the past four years, many of which were preventable.
This case follows a series of international legal developments concerning climate change. The International Court of Justice has stated that countries may be in violation of international law if they fail to take measures to protect the planet from climate change. Additionally, the European Court of Human Rights has ruled that nations must enhance their protection of citizens against climate change impacts. In 2019, the Netherlands' Supreme Court recognized protection from climate change effects as a human right, obligating the government to safeguard its citizens.