The StopEACOP coalition has welcomed the opening of France’s first major climate trial against oil and gas giant TotalEnergies, describing the proceedings as a landmark moment for global climate accountability.
The case, which opened on Thursday at the Paris Court of Justice, stems from a 2020 lawsuit filed by several advocacy organisations — including Notre Affaire à Tous, Sherpa and France Nature Environnement — alongside the City of Paris. The groups are seeking a court order compelling the multinational to significantly cut greenhouse gas emissions and reduce hydrocarbon production.
The StopEACOP coalition criticised French prosecutors for backing the company, arguing that the country’s duty of vigilance law should not apply to climate change. StopEACOP Campaign Coordinator Zaki Mamdoo described the move as an attempt to shield a major oil company from climate accountability.
TotalEnergies, one of the world’s largest historical emitters, reportedly plans to increase production by about three percent annually while maintaining most of its investments in fossil fuels until at least 2030. The company is also linked to several major new fossil fuel developments globally, which activists say contradict scientific recommendations to limit global warming to 1.5°C.
In their response, TotalEnergies rejects the claims. The company argues that it cannot be held solely responsible for a global crisis shaped by complex energy systems and consumer demand.
While acknowledging that it produces hydrocarbons, it maintains that responsibility for emissions linked to their use lies largely with end users.
Among the projects drawing scrutiny is the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP), a 1,443-kilometre pipeline designed to transport crude oil from Uganda’s oilfields to the Port of Tanga in Tanzania. The project is being developed by TotalEnergies and China National Offshore Oil Corporation and aims to begin exports in 2026.
However, the pipeline has faced strong environmental and human rights criticism, as well as delays after several global financial institutions distanced themselves from the project. Community representatives along the pipeline route claim that families have been displaced and livelihoods disrupted.
Balach Bakundane, a community organiser with the EACOP Host Communities Organisation, said affected residents continue to experience the social and economic consequences of the project and hope the case will hold the company accountable for its actions.
The hearing comes six years after the initial filing of the case, following a series of procedural challenges by TotalEnergies. It also coincides with another legal action filed by Ugandan claimants and civil society groups under France’s duty of vigilance framework.
Climate activists say the trial represents a critical moment in global climate litigation, as courts increasingly recognise climate change as a threat to fundamental human rights. Recent advisory opinions from institutions such as the International Court of Justice and the European Court of Human Rights have reinforced the responsibility of both states and corporations to prevent foreseeable climate harm.
For the first time in France, judges will consider whether an oil and gas multinational can be legally compelled to reduce fossil fuel production rather than simply disclose risks or adopt voluntary climate targets. Observers say the outcome could influence similar cases worldwide and reshape corporate climate obligations.
Environmental and human rights lawyer Brighton Aryampa of Youth for Green Communities in Uganda said the ruling could have far-reaching consequences, particularly for communities along the EACOP route, urging the court to ensure legal protections translate into meaningful safeguards on the ground.
A decision in the case is expected to set an important precedent for future climate litigation, potentially shifting legal focus from governments to corporate actors in the fight against climate change.
