TotalEnergies AG Disruption: ‘Climate Activists Warn Their Role’, Says Elizabeth Bourne

TotalEnergies’ annual general meeting (GA) opened at around 10am on Friday 26 May, despite attempts by climate activists to block it. Dozens of activists tried to enter the stretch of street that runs in front of the Salle Pleyel, where the group’s GA is being held in Paris, at dawn. Some of them who were sitting near the entrance were chased away by the police, which led to a fight. Police also used tear gas.

“We regret that we had to take special measures both in calling the police and in strict control of entry to this gathering.At the opening of the meeting, TotalEnergies Chairman and CEO Patrick Pouyane said. A number of organizations have announced that they want to cancel the gathering and therefore we have taken measures to ensure that it is held under the best possible conditions. »

Elizabeth Bourne, on the other hand, considered that “Climate Activists” were “In the role of warning them and telling them that we have to hurry up.” “So does the government: we all need to speed up the ecological transition”said the head of government during a trip to Cote d’Or and recognized the oil group he has “The transition to renewable energies has begun”. In the morning, Transitional Energy Minister Agnes Pannier-Runacher also urged the group to leave. “faster”. “Total investment in renewable energies, but the challenge is faster, stronger and above all faster”– said the minister on FranceinfoIt is called an energy company “package” on renewable energies.

TotalEnergies’ climate strategy was still under fire

Despite this pressure, shareholders voted for the group’s climate strategy with an 88.76% majority. Mr. Puyane welcomed “broad support” and one “The Quality Debate”. This strategy envisages more investments in renewable energies and reinforcement of CO2 emission reduction targets.₂ of its operations. A non-binding advisory climate resolution tabled by a coalition of activist shareholders calling on it to do more to align its carbon footprint with the goals of the Paris Agreement was rejected with 30.44% of the vote.

The group recommended against debate on the resolution “against the interests” of total energy, “of its shareholders and customers”. Even if TotalEnergies doesn’t plan to drastically reduce direct emissions within a decade, it plans to dedicate a third of its investments to low-carbon energy and reach 100 GW of renewable electricity capacity by 2030. “The climate is at the center of our concern”said Mr. Pouyane early in the morning, defending them “Reliability of Transition Plan” of his group.

“Our company was the main one that invested the most in building tomorrow’s energy model, which will be based on electricity” Renewable energy, he argued, would not reduce oil activity. “Global demand for oil is growing, and if TotalEnergies doesn’t meet that demand, others will do it for us.”– he said again and answered in response to this “Bile people who accuse us of greening”that “TotalEnergies alone will not solve customer needs”. Especially after that “It’s the hydrocarbon revenue that allows us to invest massively and develop renewable energy.”Mr. Pouyane already argued in an interview with the magazine on Wednesday challenges.

“Peace Activists”

This TotalEnergies meeting comes at the end of a turbulent GA season, where activists have stepped up action against large groups such as rivals Shell and BP or Barclays Bank, accused of financing the expansion of energy projects, hydrocarbons. All amid stunning profits: Together, majors BP, Shell, ExxonMobil, Chevron and TotalEnergies posted more than $40 billion in profits this quarter, a grand total after 2022.

A coalition of non-governmental organizations called for the meeting to be blocked, and dozens of activists occupied the entrance to the rue du Faubourg-Saint-Honoré, singing in particular. “What we want is to topple the total” and “One, two and three degrees, that’s all we have to be thankful for”. “As soon as we arrived at 6 in the morning, there was a huge police crackdown, they gassed us, walked us over… but we are non-violent”, was condemned by the spokesperson of Alternatiba, Stephen Sasha Arfeil. CRS fired two tear gas canisters at the fighters. “One of them fell off the activist’s hat and burned the other’s leg”Alternatiba Paris activist Ellen Martinelli reports. He himself was thrown hard to the ground, as a result of which his knees were injured.

“We do not understand police violence against peaceful activists to protect a private company that destroys the environment and violates human rights.Added Juliet Renault, campaign manager for Friends of the Earth, citing the Eacop oil pipeline megaproject in Uganda and Tanzania, which displaced more than 100,000 people, not all of whom have yet to be compensated. Four people were arrested “on this stage”According to the police. “We can no longer allow companies to destroy living things with impunity.” It is legitimate to come and demonstrate in a non-violent way. The practice of the police protecting the first polluting company in France is dramatic. The law is on our side. It’s also law enforcement.”convinced Marie Toussaint, an environmentalist MEP who came to support the action.

The group is represented in many liquefied natural gas and oil projects in the United Arab Emirates, Iraq, Papua and Uganda. “We didn’t know how to expect”said Mr. Puyane challenges The controversy, which adds to many others for the group, has also criticized record profits of $20.5 billion (€19.12 billion) in 2022, taxes in France or the CEO’s salary. Increasing his compensation by 10% by 2023 is also on the agenda of the general meeting.