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On 23 October 2025, a Paris civil court delivered a landmark ruling against TotalEnergies, finding the French oil and gas giant liable for misleading consumers through greenwashing advertising. This case marks the first time France's greenwashing laws have been applied to a fossil fuel company, setting a new legal precedent for climate-related advertising and corporate responsibility.
The legal action was initiated in 2022 by environmental NGOs including Greenpeace France, Friends of the Earth France, and Notre Affaire à Tous, with support from Client Earth. The claim centred on Total Energies' advertising and public messaging, which changed the company's name from 'Total' to 'TotalEnergies', portrayed the company as a 'major player in the energy transition' and committed to achieving net zero emissions by 2050. However, the court found that Total Energies had acted contrary to those statements, including by continuing to promote and expand fossil fuel projects in countries such as Iraq, Denmark, Tanzania, and Uganda.
The Paris court found that Total Energies had engaged in 'misleading commercial practices' by giving the impression it was part of the solution to climate change, while its business strategy remained heavily reliant on fossil fuels. Specifically, the court ruled that:
- Claims about aiming for carbon neutrality by 2050 and being a leader in the energy transition were misleading;
- Statements placing 'sustainable development at the heart of [its] strategy', that it 'contributed to the well-being of populations' in line with UN Sustainable Development Goals, and its advertising campaign featuring wind turbines and renewable energy products were also found to be deceptive and ordered to be removed; and
- The company's advertising misled the public into believing Total Energies was reducing fossil fuel production.
The court dismissed a further accusation of greenwashing regarding the company's claims about fossil gas and biofuels, finding these were informational rather than commercial in nature. The claimant NGOs also sought injunctions for ecological damage under the French Civil Code, which the court dismissed for lack of sufficient evidence of direct harm from the communications.
Total Energies was ordered to:
- Remove the misleading statements from its website within one month, or face a fine of €10,000 per day;
- Prominently display the court's ruling on its website for 180 days, with the same daily penalty for non-compliance (however the court declined to also order the requested publication in newspapers); and
- Pay €8,000 to each of the three NGOs involved, plus €15,000 for their legal costs.
Our sustainability team can navigate this landscape and help businesses deliver sustainable success
The judgement comes amid growing scrutiny of companies' climate claims. The Paris court's ruling against Total Energies is a landmark decision concerning the statements which companies can make regarding their environmental impact.
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