On October 23, 2025, the Paris Judicial Court delivered a landmark ruling against TotalEnergies SE and its French affiliate. The court found that the company had engaged in misleading communication — what many call greenwashing.

Given that the judgment is in French, we’ve translated directly from the official text — no media spin, no second‑hand summaries. To add, we have also dug into TotalEnergies’ own press release the following day, which reads less like sober corporate communication and more like a comical victory lap. 

TL;DR

    • Most claims dismissed — but the court still set a precedent: carbon‑neutrality messaging can legally count as greenwashing.
    • Three statements condemned — misleading claims about net‑zero ambition, fossil gas, and biofuels.
    • Orders issued — removal from websites/social media, corrective disclaimers in future communications.
    • Visibility required — ruling must be published on TotalEnergies’ homepages, social channels, and in national newspapers.
    • Penalties imposed — €20,000 per day for non‑compliance, plus damages awarded to Greenpeace France, Friends of the Earth France, and Notre Affaire à Tous.

    The Court’s Key Findings

      • Green labels such as “un acteur majeur de la transition” and carbon neutrality claims like “ambition de neutralité carbone d’ici 2050” (net zero by 2050) were deemed misleading, given the company’s continued expansion of fossil fuel projects. 

      • Fossil gas was wrongly presented as “bon marché” (cheap), “la moins émettrice” (the least emitting), and an “indispensable complément des énergies renouvelables” (indispensable to renewable energy).

      • Biofuels were advertised as cutting CO₂ emissions by “au moins 50 %” or even “90 %” compared to fossil fuels, and were an essential solution for decarbonising transport.

      The ruling emphasised that such claims could mislead the average consumer about the company’s role in climate change.

      TotalEnergies Responds (October 24, 2025)

      One day later, TotalEnergies issued a press release stressing that most claims had been dismissed. It acknowledged the need to remove three paragraphs from its French affiliate’s website and pledged to replace them with a “factual description” of its achievements. In the same release, however, the company shifted tone, highlighting:

        • €20 billion invested in low-carbon energies worldwide since 2020.
        • 32 GW of installed renewable capacity, producing 50 TWh of electricity.
        • France’s largest offshore wind project, supplying power to over a million homes.
        • Leadership in EV charging infrastructure and biofuel production.
        • Significant reductions in greenhouse gas and methane emissions across its operations.

        The refrain was clear: “TotalEnergies is proud…” — repeated across oil, gas, renewables, and customer services 11 times. Interestingly, however, TotalEnergies also declared that it is proud of supplying oil to millions alongside its climate‑friendly investments.

        To add, the Paris court demanded visibility: the ruling has to be displayed in a banner on TotalEnergies’ homepage for six months. Yet, it’s now been over a month; we have not seen a banner — has anyone else come across it? 

        Why This Matters

        For everyday readers, this case is more than a corporate dispute. It sets a precedent in France — and potentially across Europe — for how courts will scrutinise climate-related marketing claims. The court struck down three claims as legally misleading. But the NGOs argued that all 44 were greenwashing. The difference lies in the lens: consumer law versus public accountability. Legally, only three stuck. 

        From Consumers to Investors: Greenwashing Across Sectors

        The Paris court’s ruling against TotalEnergies focused on misleading consumers — striking down claims about carbon neutrality, fossil gas, and biofuels. Meanwhile, earlier this year in Frankfurt, prosecutors fined Deutsche Bank’s asset manager DWS €25 million for misleading investors about its ESG credentials. Whistleblowers alleged that DWS exaggerated its sustainability integration in its 2020 annual report, and investigators concluded that “aggressive” marketing tactics falsely positioned the firm as a leader in ESG investing. Criminal probes into individuals remain ongoing. Read more about the Deutsche Bank’s greenwashing scandal here.

        Final Thoughts

        From Paris to Frankfurt, the lesson is the same: sustainability claims are now under scrutiny. Courts and regulators are no longer tolerating vague promises or exaggerated sustainability credentials. The challenge ahead is to build a market where credible climate action is rewarded — and greenwashing, whether aimed at consumers or investors, carries real consequences. The era of easy greenwashing is ending.

        Vadim Dunne, GreenWatch, 18/12/2025