Protesters outside the Salle Pleyel in Paris were heard chanting “all we want is to bring down Total” and “one, two, three degrees, we have Total to thank”.
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French riot police on Friday fired tear gas at hundreds of climate activists who tried to prevent the oil giant’s annual general meeting TotalEnergies from the event.
Clashes between protesters and police came shortly before the start of a shareholder meeting where investors are set to vote on a resolution calling on the company to align its climate goals with the landmark. The Paris Agreement and commit to an absolute reduction in carbon emissions by 2030.
TotalEnergies has he insisted shareholders voted against a resolution put forward by Follow This – a small Dutch activist investor with stakes in several major oil companies.
Activists from campaign groups including 350.org, Friends of the Earth France and Scientists in Rebellion had committed try to stop the AGM and condemn TotalEnergies fossil fuel expansion.
Protesters outside Paris’ Salle Pleyel were heard chanting “all we want is to bring down Total” and “one, two, three degrees, we can thank Total,” AFP news agency reported.
It comes amid a sense of palpable frustration among climate activists during the proxy voting period demonstration it is also happening with British oil companies BP and Shell in recent weeks.
Shares of TotalEnergies were trading slightly higher on Friday morning. The share price fell by around 6.3% year-on-year.
