popular articles

TotalEnergies vs NGOs: Frequent Accusations, Rarely Convicted

TotalEnergies faces multiple lawsuits initiated by international NGOs over environmental and social issues related to its global projects. While several cases remain ongoing, the majority have been dismissed or dropped by the courts, questioning their legitimacy.

Please share:

TotalEnergies, a global leader in the energy sector, is frequently targeted by judicial actions initiated by non-governmental organizations (NGOs). These highly publicized cases primarily involve accusations related to environmental and social responsibility, human rights abuses, and complicity in geopolitical conflicts. However, most of these judicial procedures end up being dismissed or ruled inadmissible by French courts, highlighting a noticeable gap between media coverage and legal outcomes.

Palma attack in Mozambique

In March 2021, the city of Palma in Mozambique experienced a deadly jihadist attack near TotalEnergies’ Mozambique Liquefied Natural Gas (Mozambique LNG) project. Prior to the incident, the Cabo Delgado region had already been experiencing increasing security instability, with various international organizations raising alarms since 2017 due to escalating violence perpetrated by the terrorist group Al-Shabaab. Despite these warnings, Mozambican authorities had not sufficiently secured the region.

During the attack, TotalEnergies rapidly evacuated over 2,500 employees and contractors by sea. However, in October 2023, survivors and families of victims filed a complaint in France accusing TotalEnergies of “manslaughter” and “failure to provide assistance.” They argue that the company should have better anticipated the risks. In March 2025, French justice initiated a formal investigation into these allegations, though no convictions or formal charges have been announced to date. TotalEnergies continues to deny wrongdoing, emphasizing its prompt evacuation measures.

EACOP-Tilenga Project: Legal Pressure on a Strategic Investment

Launched officially in 2021, the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) project is one of TotalEnergies’ largest investments in Africa. The project plans to build the world’s longest heated oil pipeline (1,445 km) linking Uganda to Tanzania, paired with the Tilenga oil extraction project in Uganda, involving 419 wells, some within the Murchison Falls national park, sparking significant environmental concerns.

This project faces several separate legal actions in France. In June 2023, twenty-six Ugandan citizens and five French and Ugandan NGOs, including Survie and AFIEGO, filed a civil lawsuit in Paris seeking compensation for alleged abuses such as unfair expropriations, insufficient compensation, and harassment. Additionally, in January 2025, another coalition of NGOs filed a criminal complaint at Nanterre, describing the project as “climaticide.” French courts have not yet issued any definitive rulings, leaving the project’s future uncertain.

Duty of Vigilance and Climate Inaction Lawsuits

Since 2019, EACOP-Tilenga has also been targeted under France’s “Duty of Vigilance” law, requiring large corporations to anticipate social and environmental impacts. Initially, the French court ruled in early 2023 that plaintiffs had not sufficiently engaged in dialogue with TotalEnergies before initiating legal proceedings, leading to the rejection of the case. However, NGOs have since redirected their efforts toward ongoing lawsuits mentioned previously.

Separately, a coalition of six NGOs and sixteen municipalities, including Paris and New York, accused TotalEnergies of “climate inaction” under the same law. Initially dismissed in July 2023, this procedure was later declared admissible by the Paris Court of Appeal in June 2024, potentially opening significant legal and strategic implications for TotalEnergies and the broader energy sector.

Greenwashing Allegations: An Ongoing Investigation

For several years, TotalEnergies has been subject to repeated allegations of “greenwashing.” In March 2022, Greenpeace France, Les Amis de la Terre France, and Notre Affaire à Tous filed a civil lawsuit in Paris for “misleading commercial practices,” claiming TotalEnergies overstated its climate commitments compared to actual operational practices. Separately, another criminal complaint filed by Wild Legal, Sea Shepherd France, and Darwin Climax Coalitions triggered an investigation by the Nanterre Prosecutor’s Office in 2021. Neither case has yet reached a judicial conclusion, but both have ongoing implications for the company’s public relations strategy.

Pollution Allegations in Yemen: Case Dismissed

In January 2024, approximately fifty Yemeni nationals filed legal action against TotalEnergies at the Nanterre court, accusing the company of environmental contamination in the Hadhramaut region, where the company operated oil wells until 2015. However, on December 3, 2024, a similar lawsuit from eight Yemeni plaintiffs was deemed inadmissible by the Paris judicial court, concluding that there was insufficient evidence linking TotalEnergies directly to environmental damages claimed by plaintiffs.

Ukraine War Crimes Allegations: Case Rejected

In October 2022, Darwin Climax Coalitions and the Ukrainian NGO Razom We Stand accused TotalEnergies of complicity in war crimes in Ukraine, alleging the company continued operating a gas field in Russia after the onset of the war, indirectly supplying fuel to the Russian military. In October 2023, after thorough investigations, the French National Anti-Terrorist Prosecutor’s Office definitively dismissed the case, citing insufficient evidence to substantiate the charges. This high-profile case was extensively covered initially but was ultimately closed without any conviction.

Biodiversity Allegations: Another Rejected Case

On February 7, 2025, the French judiciary dismissed a lawsuit filed in May 2024 by three NGOs and eight individuals alleging involuntary manslaughter and biodiversity damage caused by TotalEnergies’ fossil fuel activities. The court concluded that the evidence presented did not sufficiently substantiate the allegations despite considerable initial media coverage.

Judicial Procedures: Frequent Accusations, Limited Convictions

Examining all these legal cases reveals a consistent pattern: numerous accusations brought against TotalEnergies by various NGOs, extensive media coverage, yet very limited actual judicial convictions. Most cases either lack sufficient evidence or fail to meet procedural standards required by French courts. Nevertheless, these legal actions generate significant costs for the company, in terms of finances, human resources, and corporate reputation. The persistent judicial pressure raises questions about the effectiveness and motivations of NGO-led legal activism against major energy corporations.

Register free of charge for uninterrupted access.

Publicite

Recently published in

Fusion Fuel Green has signed a preliminary agreement to acquire a private UK-based fuel distribution company generating $58mn in revenue, through a £50mn debt-equity structured transaction.
ExxonMobil plans to sell its 82.89% stake in Esso S.A.F. to North Atlantic France, valuing shares based on €1.49bn cash holdings and a price subject to several adjustments.
ExxonMobil plans to sell its 82.89% stake in Esso S.A.F. to North Atlantic France, valuing shares based on €1.49bn cash holdings and a price subject to several adjustments.
Patrick Pouyanné reassures shareholders by confirming TotalEnergies' strategic direction, combining hydrocarbons and low-carbon electricity, despite an unstable economic environment and climate activist protests in Paris.
Patrick Pouyanné reassures shareholders by confirming TotalEnergies' strategic direction, combining hydrocarbons and low-carbon electricity, despite an unstable economic environment and climate activist protests in Paris.
UK-based SSE recorded an adjusted operating profit of £2.42bn for fiscal year 2024/25, supported by record investments in networks and renewable energy.
UK-based SSE recorded an adjusted operating profit of £2.42bn for fiscal year 2024/25, supported by record investments in networks and renewable energy.
Iberdrola has signed an agreement to acquire the distribution, supply and energy generation activities of Electra del Maestrazgo, a family-owned company operating in Castellón and Teruel, for an undisclosed amount.
John Bryson, a key figure in the American energy sector, has died at the age of 81. The former CEO of Edison International played a decisive role during California’s electricity crisis.
John Bryson, a key figure in the American energy sector, has died at the age of 81. The former CEO of Edison International played a decisive role during California’s electricity crisis.
New York state regulators have approved a $5 billion budget for energy efficiency and electrification programmes, set to launch on January 1, 2026.
New York state regulators have approved a $5 billion budget for energy efficiency and electrification programmes, set to launch on January 1, 2026.
Aircela has introduced a unit capable of producing gasoline directly from air, water, and renewable electricity, without using fossil resources.
Aircela has introduced a unit capable of producing gasoline directly from air, water, and renewable electricity, without using fossil resources.
Sustainability Partners will now manage the operational oversight of Ecofin’s U.S. portfolio, comprising solar and wind projects under contract with investment-grade electricity providers.
Strathcona Resources reshapes its portfolio with the $2.84bn sale of Montney gas assets and a $45mn acquisition of the Hardisty Rail Terminal to refocus on heavy oil operations.
Strathcona Resources reshapes its portfolio with the $2.84bn sale of Montney gas assets and a $45mn acquisition of the Hardisty Rail Terminal to refocus on heavy oil operations.
Italian group Eni enters exclusive talks with Ares to sell a minority stake in Plenitude as part of a targeted funding strategy for its low-carbon subsidiaries.
Italian group Eni enters exclusive talks with Ares to sell a minority stake in Plenitude as part of a targeted funding strategy for its low-carbon subsidiaries.
SBM Offshore posted quarterly revenue of $1,103mn, driven by the Turnkey segment, while maintaining full-year targets and advancing the deployment of its floating units scheduled for 2025.
SBM Offshore posted quarterly revenue of $1,103mn, driven by the Turnkey segment, while maintaining full-year targets and advancing the deployment of its floating units scheduled for 2025.
Shell paid $28.1bn to governments in 2024 for its extractive activities, with major flows reported in Nigeria, Malaysia and Oman, according to its regulatory disclosure in the United Kingdom.
CGN Brasil and the government of Piauí have signed an agreement to develop a 1.4 GW energy complex combining solar, wind and storage, with a planned investment of $578mn.
CGN Brasil and the government of Piauí have signed an agreement to develop a 1.4 GW energy complex combining solar, wind and storage, with a planned investment of $578mn.
The iliad Group signs four new renewable electricity purchase agreements in France, Italy and Poland, bringing its total number of European energy projects to eight.
The iliad Group signs four new renewable electricity purchase agreements in France, Italy and Poland, bringing its total number of European energy projects to eight.
Italian industrialist Romano Minozzi now holds over 3% of Eni, valued at €1.2bn ($1.33bn), according to the latest data published by financial regulator Consob.
Italian industrialist Romano Minozzi now holds over 3% of Eni, valued at €1.2bn ($1.33bn), according to the latest data published by financial regulator Consob.
Enbridge reported a sharp rise in first-quarter 2025 results, driven by its hydrocarbon transport operations and recent acquisitions, while reaffirming its full-year financial outlook.
Axpo will manage balancing and market delivery of solar electricity supplied to Auchan in Poland under a structured agreement with GoldenPeaks Capital.
Axpo will manage balancing and market delivery of solar electricity supplied to Auchan in Poland under a structured agreement with GoldenPeaks Capital.
Energias de Portugal saw its profit rise by 21% in the first quarter, supported by expanded renewable capacity and favourable electricity market prices.
Energias de Portugal saw its profit rise by 21% in the first quarter, supported by expanded renewable capacity and favourable electricity market prices.
Aker ASA merges Aker Horizons and acquires a stake in SLB Capturi, consolidating its portfolio while preparing for a significant dividend distribution.
Aker ASA merges Aker Horizons and acquires a stake in SLB Capturi, consolidating its portfolio while preparing for a significant dividend distribution.
Driven by strong operational execution and robust demand across key segments, Siemens Energy reports double-digit revenue growth and upgrades its outlook for fiscal year 2025.
Italian group Enel exceeded analysts’ forecasts with €22bn ($23.66bn) in revenue in Q1 2025, driven by international operations.
Italian group Enel exceeded analysts’ forecasts with €22bn ($23.66bn) in revenue in Q1 2025, driven by international operations.
German group RWE has commissioned six new energy projects in the US, reaching a combined capacity of 999 MW across wind, solar and battery storage technologies.
German group RWE has commissioned six new energy projects in the US, reaching a combined capacity of 999 MW across wind, solar and battery storage technologies.
Veolia acquires full ownership of Water Technologies and Solutions by purchasing the 30% stake held by CDPQ, further consolidating its growth strategy focused on industrial water technologies.
Veolia acquires full ownership of Water Technologies and Solutions by purchasing the 30% stake held by CDPQ, further consolidating its growth strategy focused on industrial water technologies.

Advertising