“Greenwashing, noun: Misleading use of arguments claiming good ecological practices in marketing or communication operations.
Can the Larousse definition (which prefers the Frenchified term “greenwashing”) apply to TotalEnergies?
The oil giant, behind the heated Eacop pipeline project and 23 other “carbon bombs” according to a study by the NGO Reclaim Finance, is increasingly promoting its “green” energy to its customers.
An argument in the sights of justice, since an investigation was opened by the economic and financial center of the Nanterre prosecution in December 2021, indicates a source close to the file.
The information was confirmed by the Nanterre public prosecutor's office, which adds that this investigation follows a criminal complaint, in October 2020, from several environmental defense associations.
The latter notably accuse the oil giant of degradation of the air, said the prosecution.
In April 2022, this group of associations (Wild Legal, Sea Sheperd France and Darwin Climax Coalitions) filed a new complaint, accusing TotalEnergies of "other practices" which, according to them, caused "ecocide", explained the public prosecutor.
Still under study, this new complaint has not, at this stage, led to the opening of an investigation or been joined to the ongoing investigations.
Contacted, TotalEnergies did not react immediately.
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TotalEnergies
Nanterre
Ile-de-France
Investigation
Pollution