A Paris court has ruled that TotalEnergies must take account of greenhouse gas emissions from the use of its oil and gas products when assessing its environmental responsibilities under France's corporate duty of vigilance law.
The case, brought by four environmental organisations and the Paris, centred on whether climate-related risks fall within the scope of the 2017 law requiring large companies to identify and prevent environmental harm. The court concluded that they do, stating that emissions from end users – known as Scope 3 emissions – are inherently linked to the company's activities because they result from the combustion of the fuels it produces.
However, the court stopped short of ordering the measures sought by the plaintiffs, including an end to new fossil fuel projects and mandatory cuts in oil and gas production.
The ruling is regarded as an important milestone in French climate litigation. The city of Paris described it as a landmark decision because it establishes that climate risks are covered by the corporate duty of vigilance, potentially strengthening future legal challenges against major fossil fuel producers.
Source Le Monde 25 June 2026 https://www.lemonde.fr/en/environment/article/2026/06/25/french-court-orders-totalenergies-to-account-for-clients-emissions_6754869_114.html
