TotalEnergies Under fire for Greenwashing Claims in Paris Court
TotalEnergies Facing Greenwashing Lawsuit in Paris Court
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In the heart of Paris, energy titan TotalEnergies finds itself in hot water over greenwashing allegations. The company has been slapped with a lawsuit by three environmental organizations, including Greenpeace, with the legal battle commencing on Thursday. At stake are accusations of misleading advertising practices.
These eco-conscious groups sued TotalEnergies way back in 2022, claiming that their ad campaign paints a rosy picture of carbon neutrality - a claim they believe is pure hype, given TotalEnergies’ ongoing oil and gas business. The company, however, adamantly denies these allegations. In 2021, TotalEnergies had a major name change from Total to TotalEnergies, which was accompanied by a massive advertising blitz highlighting investments in low-carbon energy solutions. The company promised to reach net-zero emissions by 2050, adding, "together with society."
Their pitch for gas as the "lowest CO2-emitting fossil fuel" and a climate-friendly alternative to oil and coal has raised eyebrows among environmental groups. NGOs argue that due to methane emissions, gas is hardly an eco-friendly choice. They have identified around 40 advertising messages that, in their view, do not reflect TotalEnergies’ actual activities. Apolline Cagnat of Greenpeace commented, "TotalEnergies deceived consumers by presenting a 'green image' that doesn't align with reality."
The organizations are requesting the court to impose an immediate ban on any further misleading business practices. Such a ruling would serve as a powerful wake-up call to other companies heavily invested in fossil fuels. TotalEnergies, however, contends that these are not “advertising messages” but "institutional communication" falling outside the scope of consumer protection laws.
The courtroom drama isn't the first for TotalEnergies. In 2023, they were nailed for misleading climate-neutrality claims in a lawsuit brought by German Environmental Aid. Various other companies have also walked the greenwashing tightrope, as seen in the Cologne Regional Court’s March ruling, banning Lufthansa from advertising CO2 offsetting for flights due to false claims suggesting travelers could offset their carbon footprint with a fee.
Sources: ntv.de, afp
In the latest scoop, TotalEnergies is bracing for a courtroom showdown over greenwashing claims in Paris, France. The company is on trial after accusations of misleading advertising practices, primarily centered around its claims of achieving carbon neutrality and portrayal of gas as eco-friendly[1][2][3]. Environmental organizations challenged these statements, citing around 40 instances of false advertising in their lawsuit. They argue that continuing oil and gas production while claiming carbon neutrality is pure greenwashing[1][2].
TotalEnergies has disputed these allegations, declaring that their institutional communication is regulated by financial authorities rather than consumer law[1][2]. The court has yet to announce a verdict, with the NGOs seeking a court order to halt these alleged misleading practices[2][3].
- The trial in Paris revolves around TotalEnergies being accused of greenwashing due to misleading advertising practices, specifically over their claims of carbon neutrality and the eco-friendliness of gas.
- Environmental organizations, including Greenpeace, have identified approximately 40 instances of misleading advertising in their lawsuit, alleging that continuing oil and gas production while claiming carbon neutrality is pure greenwashing.
- TotalEnergies has countered these claims, asserting that their institutional communication is regulated by financial authorities instead of consumer law.
- The entities suing TotalEnergies have requested the court to issue an order halting these alleged misleading practices, aiming to send a strong message to industries heavily invested in fossil fuels.
