Published on : 25/05/2022 – 09:44
Paris (AFP) – More than a hundred activists from environmental NGOs blocked the main access to the general assembly of TotalEnergies in Paris on Wednesday once morest the group’s climate policy, deemed insufficient, and its presence in Russia.
“Totally irresponsible!”, “We are here, even if Total does not want us, we are here”, intoned the activists of several associations including Greenpeace France, Alternatiba, ANV COP 21 or Friends of the Earth.
Sitting in front of the Salle Pleyel, in the 8th arrondissement of Paris, they blocked shareholders’ access to the general meeting through the main entrance to the Salle Pleyel. Some handcuffed each other.
About 150 shareholders were redirected to an adjacent door and waited to be able to return.
Some activists unfurled a banner of regarding five meters in front of the room “No withdrawal, no AG”, in reference to the presence of the French gas and oil giant in Russia, where it notably exploits liquefied natural gas. But the banner was removed by security guards.
The demonstrators also criticize the group’s climate policy with signs “Stop fossil fuel projects”, while shareholders must vote at the general meeting on the group’s climate plan.
This advisory vote is likely to be stormy, several shareholders having announced that they would vote once morest the climate plan.
A collective of shareholders representing 0.78% of the capital of the oil giant had also tabled a resolution asking the group to comply with the Paris Climate Agreement, a resolution which will not ultimately be on the agenda, the board of directors having refused to do so.
“There are shareholders who are aware of the climate emergency but in general they are still too passive,” Edina Ifticene, campaign manager for Greenpeace France, told AFP.
© 2022 AFP
