Frank Nicol Melgar Marba, a teacher from Dinagat Island in the southern Philippines, is part of a legal challenge against TotalEnergies, accused of contributing to global climate change.
This case, filed in France today, involves plaintiffs from seven countries and three organizations.
The lawsuit claims TotalEnergies’ operations endanger lives and harm the environment. It was filed days before the company’s Annual General Meeting.
The plaintiffs charged TotalEnergies, ranked as the sixth-largest carbon major, with cases including involuntary manslaughter and neglect in disaster management.
Marba was one of the people affected by Super Typhoon Odette in 2021. “We deserve justice,” he said, stressing the trauma and economic difficulties from climate disasters.
Virginia Benosa-Llorin of Greenpeace emphasized the financial responsibility of oil companies.
“They must pay for the losses and damages from climate impacts,” she said. “Governments like the Philippines should demand payment for recovery.”
The lawsuit aims to establish criminal liability for TotalEnergies’ leaders and halt the expansion of fossil fuel extraction, which plaintiffs label as contributing to a potential irreversible disruption of the Earth System.
The case is seen to set a precedent for corporate responsibility in climate change, potentially influencing how corporations align their operations with environmental sustainability.
