For them, this is a first and important victory.
The action taken by the city of Nanterre alongside 13 other communities and 5 associations against the multinational energy company will indeed be decided by a judicial tribunal (formerly TGI).
By an order of February 11, the Nanterre court has in fact just declared itself competent to judge the contentious proceedings against the oil giant whose headquarters are located in La Défense.
This action against the multinational was initiated in early 2020, when Nanterre, Arcueil, Sevran and the 9 towns of the Est Ensemble territory joined five associations and NGOs (France nature environnement, Les Eco Maires, Notre affaires à tous, Sherpa and Zea) to ask the oil giant to "take the necessary measures to drastically reduce its greenhouse gas emissions".
"This first step is decisive"
Through these lawsuits, communities and associations hope that the court will oblige Total to respect the duty of vigilance.
In other words, that the oil giant finally applies the vigilance plan imposed since 2017 by French law to all companies with more than 5,000 employees.
A plan in which the company is supposed to detail the concrete measures it intends to take to limit the consequences of its activity on the environment.
“This first step is decisive, rejoices Patrick Jarry, the mayor (DVG) of Nanterre.
It paves the way for Total's conviction for climate inaction and Nanterre is proud to participate in this action.
"The lawyers of the master collective Sébastien Mabile and François de Cambiaire are now waiting for justice to force the Total group to green its policy over the next thirty years in order to fall within the framework defined by the Paris agreements.
For its part, the oil giant, Total - which had raised the incompetence of the judicial court, believing that the dispute should be tried by the commercial court - has always contested the data cited by communities and associations on its gas emissions at greenhouse effect.