On the eve of the official date of the 100th anniversary of TotalEnergies, around fifty activists from Alternatiba Paris, Friends of the Earth France and Greenpeace France came to disrupt the evening organised with great pomp at Chateau de Versailles.
A host of celebrities were expected at this venue historically associated with the influence of France and the excesses of the Roi Soleil, and the NGOs came to call for an end to the reign of fossil fuels. In particular, they denounced TotalEnergies’ heavy responsibility in the climate crisis and in terms of human rights, as well as the complicity of its political and financial backers.
For the associations, the centenary of TotalEnergies corresponds to one hundred years of devastating activities for the rights of communities, the natural environment and the climate; decades of science manipulation and greenwashing; but also a century of proftis that are now reaching record levels, just like the energy bills of the French people.
At around 5.30pm, activists unfurled a banner declaiming: “Let’s put an end to the reign of oil and gas!” in the garden area at pond level, in front of the Château de Versailles. Fifty or so activists then took to the forecourt, holding torches echoing the sinister anniversary, and declaiming “Totally irresponsible”.
They unfurled banners reading “No destructive projects without financiers” and “Total coupable, État complice”. A large number of police officers rounded up the peaceful activists with several members of the press.
The aim of this action is to denounce the disastrous record of TotalEnergies’ activities, which belie the indecent pomp of this evening.
TotalEnergies is in fact one of the most aggressive fossil fuel companies in the expansion of fossil fuels.
“After 100 years of activities and misdeeds, TotalEnergies has never learned from its mistakes because its accomplice sheep have always supported it. So much so that Crédit Agricole and Société Générale remain stubbornly supportive of Mozambique LNG, a project for which TotalEnergieshas already been untrustworthy for five years and is accused of serious human rights violations. The humanitarian and security situation in the north of the country is so dramatic that the equivalent of the population of the town of Caen has been forced to flee. This is happening at this very moment, while the state and the banks are feasting on TotalEnergies’ profits. This indecency must come to an end,” said Lorette Philippot, Private Finance Campaigner at Friends of the Earth France.
“Behind the official story of France’s TotalEnergies industrial flagship lies a much darker tale marred by scandals: the destruction of the climate and human rights, the fabrication of doubt, greenwashing and even attempts to intimidate NGOs. By knowingly continuing to bank on fossil fuels, Patrick Pouyanné is shamelessly perpetuating a deadly model to maximise the multinational’s profits. It is high time for political leaders to signal the end of the fossil era and put in place measures to regulate the sector and make it pay for the damage it has caused”, said Edina Ifticène, Fossil Energy Campaigner at Greenpeace France.
The associations are calling on France’s political actors and major banks to stop supporting TotalEnergies’ climate strategy.
