TotalEnergies sues Greenpeace over claims it 'underreports' emissions

French energy giant TotalEnergies is suing Greenpeace for a symbolic 1 euro over the environmental group's claims the company was likely "dramatically underreporting" its greenhouse gas emissions. 

TotalEnergies headquarters in La Defense business district near Paris. © Reuters - Sarah Meyssonnier

Greenpeace in a November report said TotalEnergies' carbon emissions in 2019 "could be almost four times higher" than what was reported.

In response, the company said Greenpeace and the Factor-X consulting firm that carried out the study had broadcast "false and misleading information, relying on debatable methodology and including multiple errors and approximations".

Greenpeace said TotalEnergies was suing it in civil court in an attempt to silence its criticism though the burden of legal fees.

"These civil proceedings are not completely harmless. Total(Energies) could have sued us for defamation" in a criminal court, said Jean-Francois Julliard, head of Greenpeace France.

Instead "we know we're in for several years" of written back-and-forth between both sides.

🚨 @TotalEnergies nous attaque en justice pour diffusion d’informations fausses et trompeuses sur son bilan carbone.

Cette tentative d’intimidation ne marche pas. #OnNeSeTairaPas ✊

Quel est l’objectif de #TotalEnergies ? On vous explique. 👇🧶 [1/10] https://t.co/qUcnm1SKcS

— Greenpeace France (@greenpeacefr) May 3, 2023

A spokesman for TotalEnergies claimed it was merely contesting flawed calculations that led to "incoherent results".

Julliard said that at least the lawsuit, which is to be heard by a Paris civil court, would allow for a debate on the proper calculation of TotalEnergies' actual carbon emissions.

The same court has also been charged with hearing another complaint, this time filed by Greenpeace against TotalEnergies, accusing the energy company of "greenwashing" via misleading advertising.

Many companies have vowed to reach the "net zero" level of greenhouse gas emissions needed to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius under the 2015 Paris climate deal.

But campaigners argue that many do not include their indirect greenhouse gas emissions, which are difficult to calculate but make up the larger part of their greenhouse gas footprint.

Thus a company that only counts emissions from operating its oil wells or powering its offices – but not from the millions of cars burning the petrol made from its oil and the home-heaters burning its gas – ignores the biggest share of its emissions.

(with wires)