Total’s net zero emissions strategy

A coalition of climate and accountability organizations argues that Total's climate strategy is insufficient to meet the 1.5°C goal of the Paris Agreement. They highlight that Total's 2030 emissions reduction targets cover only a small fraction of its total emissions and that the company plans to increase energy production to 4Mboe/d by 2030, with gas production potentially increasing by 30%. The authors note that 80% of Total's capex remains assigned to oil and gas, creating a risk of stranded assets. The document specifically criticizes the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) and Tilenga projects and calls on shareholders to vote against the company's climate resolutions and the leadership of CEO Patrick Pouyanné at the May 28, 2021 Annual General Meeting.

• Total's 2030 climate targets are deemed insufficient for a 1.5°C warming limit. The company's goal of a 40% emissions reduction by 2030 (relative to 2015) for scope 1 and 2 operations only addresses 10% of its 2015 overall emissions and relies partly on nature-based carbon sinks rather than direct reductions.
• The company's strategy for scope 3 emissions is criticized for lacking absolute numbers and for planning regional imbalances; while scope 3 emissions are intended to decrease by 30% in Europe, Total plans to increase them by similar proportions in the rest of the world.
• Total plans to increase energy production from 3 to 4Mboe/d by 2030, with gas production potentially increasing by 30%. This contradicts findings that a minimum 35% reduction in fossil fuel production by 2040 (compared to 2019) is necessary to align with the IEA's "Beyond 2 Degrees Scenario".
• Total's capital expenditure (capex) is viewed as misaligned with Paris Agreement goals, as 80% of capex is still assigned to oil and gas. This creates a significant risk of stranded assets, with an estimate that 58% of potential future oil and gas CAPEX is at risk under the IEA's Beyond Two Degrees Scenario.
• The document highlights the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) and Tilenga projects as controversial initiatives that aim to open a new oil basin in the Great Lakes region of East Africa, involving the displacement of villages and impacts on wildlife parks.

APA

Reclaim Finance (n.d.). Total’s net zero emissions strategy. https://reclaimfinance.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/ShareholdersTotal2final-AVAAZ.pdf

Chicago

Reclaim Finance. Total’s net zero emissions strategy. n.d. https://reclaimfinance.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/ShareholdersTotal2final-AVAAZ.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Reclaim Finance |title=Total’s net zero emissions strategy |url=https://reclaimfinance.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/ShareholdersTotal2final-AVAAZ.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{reclaimfinancendtotals, author = {{Reclaim Finance}}, title = {{Total’s net zero emissions strategy}}, publisher = {Reclaim Finance}, url = {https://reclaimfinance.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/ShareholdersTotal2final-AVAAZ.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }