the Senate commission of inquiry asks the oil group to accelerate its energy transition

In their report presented on Wednesday, the senators want to see the company become “a leader in renewable energies and clean mobility”.

TotalEnergies is invited to work harder. The Senate commission of inquiry into the oil group asks it to accelerate its energy transition, in a report presented on Wednesday June 19. “Renewable energies are increasing in its investment portfolio, but remain a minority compared to its investments in oil and gas”, declared the rapporteur of the text, environmentalist senator Yannick Jadot. TotalEnergies must become “a leader in renewable energies and clean mobility”it is written in the report (PDF).

“TotalEnergies is not on the right trajectory (…) because it plans to increase its oil and gas production by 2 to 3% until the end of the decade”, recalled Yannick Jadot. This shift to green energy is necessary to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and hope to achieve the objective of warming at 1.5°C compared to the pre-industrial era, set by the Paris Agreement signed in 2015.

Beyond the oil group, the members of the commission made recommendations to the State. “Our country must propose the inclusion of Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) in energy products under European sanctions and stop its imports of Russian LNG as soon as possible”insists the report.

The commission of inquiry also suggested that the State enter into the capital of the group via a “specific action”. This system would allow France to have “a right of inspection” on developments at TotalEnergies “and potentially a veto over decisions, such as moving the headquarters”, specified Yannick Jadot. This proposal is justified in view of “the evolution of the shareholder structure of TotalEnergies”very focused on the United States, “and the need to support a European major in its energy transition efforts”specifies the report.

Initiated in December by the environmental group in the Senate, this commission of inquiry managed to complete its work with the unanimous adoption of a report including 33 recommendations addressed to the State. “Six months ago, who could have predicted that we would emerge from this commission of inquiry with a consensual report?”declared Yannick Jadot, referring to a text “compromise” Who “brings honor to the Senate”.

Since the 19th century, the Earth’s average temperature has warmed by 1.1°C. Scientists have established with certainty that this increase is due to human activities, which consume fossil fuels (coal, oil and gas). This warming, unprecedented in its speed, threatens the future of our societies and biodiversity. But solutions – renewable energies, sobriety, reduced meat consumption – exist. Discover our answers to your questions about the climate crisis.