A Paris judicial court has ruled that TotalEnergies must incorporate its customers' greenhouse gas emissions into its legally mandated risk assessment, marking a significant escalation in climate litigation against European energy majors.
The verdict, delivered on Thursday, grants the French oil and gas giant six months to adjust its policies to comply with the new requirement.
This development represents a notable shift in how courts interpret corporate responsibility for Scope 3 emissions, moving beyond direct operational impacts to include the carbon footprint of end-use consumption.
The ruling stems from a lawsuit filed in 2020 by a coalition of advocacy groups and the Paris city authority, which sought to force TotalEnergies to reduce its overall greenhouse gas emissions.
By mandating the inclusion of downstream emissions in the company's risk assessment, the court effectively broadens the legal framework for climate accountability.
This decision could set a precedent for other major energy companies operating in France and potentially across Europe, where regulatory pressure on carbon disclosure is intensifying.