The climate change-related lawsuit begins its hearings, just days after TotalEnergies announced its climate investment at COP30.
A groundbreaking climate case between a Belgian farmer and one of the world’s biggest oil companies begins today (19 November), almost two years after it was filed.
In March 2024, Hugues Falys from Hainaut in west Belgium took TotalEnergies to the commercial court of Tournai to seek compensation for damage to his farm that he says is directly caused by climate change.
Backed by FIAN, Greenpeace and the League of Human Rights - and supported by the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) as part of its ‘See You In Court’ project - the David-vs-Goliath case is the first climate action targeting a multinational company in Belgium.
‘The front line of climate change’
In a statement sent to Euronews Green, Falys argues that climate change has had a “major impact” on his business.
The yields of his meadows and crops have been affected by climate-driven extreme weather events such as heavy rainfall, droughts and heatwaves.
“Like all farmers, I am on the front line of climate change,” he adds. “However, climate change is not inevitable. Those responsible must be held accountable.”
The three NGO plaintiffs in the case are now calling on TotalEnergies to stop all new investments in fossil fuel projects, urging the courts to establish responsibility for the oil giant’s activities that “directly harm the climate system.”
Who is TotalEnergies?
Recently making headlines for unveiling a $100 million (€86.25 million) climate investment at COP30, TotalEnergies is one of around 20 companies active in fossil fuel production that are responsible for more than a third of greenhouse gas emissions.
Despite this, the company describes its purpose as providing as many people as possible with energy that is “more affordable, more reliable and more sustainable”.
According to FIDH, TotalEnergies has just confirmed a four per cent increase in its hydrocarbon production, which extracts and refines hydrocarbons like crude oil and natural gas from the Earth.
This contradicts recommendations from institutions such as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which says hydrocarbon production must decrease to limit global warming to 1.5℃.
An ‘immediate stop’ to fossil fuels
"The solution to the climate crisis requires multinational companies to immediately stop new investments in fossil fuels to curb greenhouse gas emissions", says Gaëlle Dusepulchre of FIDH.
"We hope that the court will force TotalEnergies to invest truly in the green transition and to ensure that human rights are not endangered by climate breakdown."
Euronews Green explicitly asked TotalEnergies if it plans on ending its investment in fossil fuels and if it accepts responsibility for climate-fuelled damage on Falys’ farm. The company had not replied at the time of publishing.
A verdict is not expected until early 2026.
