United News of Bangladesh

A Paris court is expected to deliver a landmark ruling on Thursday in a climate change lawsuit that could require French energy giant TotalEnergies to significantly cut its oil and gas production. The case, filed by several environmental groups along with the city of Paris, argues that the company is failing to comply with a 2017 French law requiring large corporations to identify and prevent human rights violations and environmental harm linked to their activities. The lawsuit marks the first time France's "corporate duty of vigilance" law has been used in a climate change case. Environmental organisations including Notre Affaire à Tous, Sherpa, France Nature Environnement and ZEA launched the legal action in 2020. The groups argue that TotalEnergies is among the world's largest historical contributors to greenhouse gas emissions. They are seeking a court order requiring the company to cut oil production by 37 percent and gas production by 25 percent by 2030, while also stopping all new fossil fuel projects. The ruling comes as much of Europe faces an intense heatwave, with record temperatures recorded in France this week. Extreme heat has also affected countries including the United Kingdom and Spain, where authorities issued the highest-level weather alerts, warning millions of people about dangerous conditions. The heat has disrupted daily life across Europe. Tourist attractions such as the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre Museum have reduced visiting hours, while school activities and transport services have faced disruptions in several countries. Scientists say human-driven climate change is increasing the frequency and severity of extreme weather events. The UN's climate agency has warned that the coming years are likely to bring even more record-breaking temperatures. According to the Copernicus Climate Change Service, Europe is warming faster than any other continent, with temperatures rising at roughly twice the global average rate since the 1980s. Earlier this month, the Europe office of the World Health Organization said more than 200,000 people across Europe had died from heat-related causes over the past four years, with many of those deaths considered preventable. The Paris ruling is expected to add to a growing number of significant climate-related court decisions around the world. Last year, the International Court of Justice said countries could breach international law if they fail to take adequate action against climate change. In 2024, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that governments must do more to protect people from climate-related risks. In 2019, the Supreme Court of the Netherlands delivered a landmark victory for climate activists by ruling that protection from the harmful effects of climate change is a human right and that governments have a responsibility to safeguard their citizens.