South Africa, Nov. 27 -- The October 2025 ruling marks the first time a fossil fuel major has been punished by the courts for greenwashing - where a company makes misleading claims about being environmentally friendly.

TotalEnergies greenhouse gas emissions are increasing every year, yet in an advertising campaign the company presented itself as a "major player in the energy transition". The company also said it would reach net zero by 2050, meaning it would emit no more greenhouse gases than it could absorb.

The organisations told the court that TotalEnergies made consumers believe it had a climate plan that met the Paris Agreement's target of limiting global warming to less than 1.5degC above pre-industrial levels.

To meet this targe...