Energy giant hit with major lawsuit after allegedly deceiving customers for years: ‘It is neither credible nor legally safe’

One of Europe’s biggest oil companies has had to make major changes to its public messaging after a court found it misled consumers about its supposedly eco-friendly practices.

What’s happening?

On Oct. 23, a Paris court found that TotalEnergies, a massive oil and gas company based in France, had overstated its commitment to helping the environment and preventing global temperatures from continuing to rise.

As Mongabay reported, this is believed to be the first time an oil company has been found legally liable for this practice, commonly known as greenwashing.

In 2021, the company changed its name from Total to TotalEnergies and launched a campaign that included goals such as shifting away from dirty fuels to renewable energy projects and reaching carbon neutrality by 2050.

But the following year, several environmental advocacy groups filed a lawsuit against TotalEnergies. Among the evidence they showed the court was that TotalEnergies had continued to pursue gas and oil projects across Europe and Africa, despite its eco-friendly messaging.

The court mandated that TotalEnergies remove all misleading claims from its website and had to display the court’s ruling prominently for six months, or face a daily monetary penalty.

“It sends a signal globally that the oil and gas industry’s common transition claims are misleading,” Johnny White, a lawyer representing the consumers, told Mongabay. “From now on, when companies pursuing fossil fuel expansion use this type of narrative, it is neither credible nor legally safe.”

Why is this important?

Unfortunately, greenwashing is a common practice among large companies, particularly those involved with dirty fuels.

Visit the website of most large oil companies, and you’re likely to find a prominent section about sustainability and environmentally friendly practices. But the reality is that these companies are among the world leaders in burning dirty fuels and releasing the heat-trapping pollution that has increased global temperatures.

ExxonMobil recently came under fire for presenting a plan to trap and store carbon, as the claims didn’t hold up to much scrutiny. In Canada, two large dirty-fuel companies face a complaint over “widespread inaccurate” claims about clean-energy practices.

This isn’t even TotalEnergies’ first foray into greenwashing. Earlier this year, one of its social media advertisements promoting wind energy was banned after authorities found the company didn’t properly disclose that it primarily dealt in dirty fuels.

What can I do about greenwashing?

The first step is to understand what greenwashing is and how companies do it. From there, it’s easier to spot when a company is doing this performative tactic, and to spend time researching a company’s actual practices, before giving them your hard-earned money.

Of course, there are companies that do walk the walk when it comes to protecting our planet. By supporting these eco-friendly brands, you can feel good knowing that your money is going toward those who want to make the Earth a cooler, better place.

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