French cities sue Total over ‘carbon emission’

Bloomberg

Oil giant Total SA is being sued by 14 local governments and a handful of non-governmental organisations in France for not doing enough to reduce its carbon emissions and fight global warming.
The legal challenge is the latest sign that the biggest oil companies are coming under increasing pressure from activists, investors and governments to cut emissions as the fight against climate change ramps up.
Local authorities, including from Grenoble near the Alps, are asking a court near Paris to order Total to “recognise the risks generated by its activities and to align itself on a trajectory compatible with limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius,” Sherpa, an activist group that’s part of the legal action, said in a statement.
“By 2050, Grenoble residents will experience three months of heat waves a year, and snow will continue to disappear in winter,” Grenoble Mayor Eric Piolle said.
“We also have a responsibility to push the biggest emitters of greenhouse gases to lead by example.”
The debate over climate change and the role of the energy industry is becoming increasing heated.
Oil companies have faced protests from activists for years, but now even some of their largest investors are urging them to do more.