A Paris judicial court ruled on Thursday that French oil major TotalEnergies must disclose the climate risks linked to its products and present an updated vigilance plan. The decision marks a partial victory for a coalition of climate NGOs, including Association SHERPA, Notre Affaire à Tous, France Nature Environnement, and the city of Paris, which initiated the legal action in 2020.
The court determined that climate risks resulting from a company’s activities fall under the scope of France’s 2017 corporate duty of vigilance law. While the ruling requires the company to address how it identifies and manages these environmental harms, the court stopped short of forcing TotalEnergies to limit overseas exploration or setting specific, binding emissions reduction targets.
In its statement, the court clarified that the law does not hold companies responsible for all historical human-induced climate change, but rather requires them to act according to their specific situation. TotalEnergies has been given six months to submit an updated vigilance plan for judicial review.
TotalEnergies has previously argued that the duty of vigilance law should not apply to climate-related issues or the so-called “Scope 3” emissions—those generated by customers using the company’s fuel products. The company has not yet confirmed whether it will appeal the ruling. The case has faced a complex legal history, having been initially declared inadmissible in 2023 before that decision was overturned on appeal.