Corporate suits against Greenpeace (TotalEnergies, Shell, Resolute)
- The record does not name which of my species, waters, soils or forests were harmed.
TotalEnergies, Shell and Resolute Forest Products each brought civil claims against Greenpeace entities. The TotalEnergies suit was dismissed on procedural grounds, the Shell claim was settled, and the Resolute claims were dismissed before the parties announced the end of the litigation.
TotalEnergies: dismissed on procedural grounds (March 2024). Resolute: claims dismissed (2019, 2023); the parties announced the end of the litigation in April 2024, terms not recorded. Shell: settled (December 2024).
Status As of October 2026: the TotalEnergies suit was dismissed (March 2024), the Shell claim was settled (December 2024), and the parties announced the conclusion of the Resolute litigation (April 2024); the outcome of Resolute's appeal was not found.
- Greenpeace France — The TotalEnergies suit against it was dismissed on procedural grounds in March 2024. Climate Case Chart
- RNLI — Received £300,000 from Greenpeace under the Shell settlement. Brick Court Chambers
- Shell — Obtained 500-metre exclusion zones at its sites for 5 or 10 years under the settlement. Brick Court Chambers
- Greenpeace — Paid £300,000 to the RNLI and accepted exclusion zones in the Shell settlement. Brick Court Chambers
- Resolute Forest Products — Its RICO claims were dismissed; it was ordered to pay about $816,000 in fees (source: Greenpeace).
What happened
Three companies brought civil claims against Greenpeace entities, with outcomes recorded between 2019 and 2024: TotalEnergies against Greenpeace France, Shell against Greenpeace UK and Greenpeace International, and Resolute Forest Products against Greenpeace in a United States federal court.
TotalEnergies sued Greenpeace France in 2023 over a Greenpeace report published in November 2022. According to the case record, TotalEnergies had declared 455 Mt CO2e of emissions for 2019, while Greenpeace estimated about 1.64 Gt. TotalEnergies asked for the report's removal and for €2,000 per day. On 28 March 2024 the Paris Judicial Court dismissed the suit on procedural grounds: the summons was too vague under Article 54 of the Code of Civil Procedure.
In February 2023 Shell filed a claim in the Admiralty Court against Greenpeace UK and Greenpeace International over the boarding of the Penguins FPSO. Shell claimed damages of about £800,000 plus costs; Greenpeace said the claim was worth up to $2.1 million. The claim was settled on 10 December 2024. Greenpeace gave £300,000 to the RNLI, admitted no liability and accepted 500-metre exclusion zones at Shell sites for 5 or 10 years.
Resolute Forest Products brought racketeering (RICO) claims against Greenpeace in the US District Court for the Northern District of California. In January 2019 the court dismissed the RICO claims, together with 294 of 296 statements. In April 2020, according to Greenpeace, Resolute was ordered to pay about $816,000 in fees under California's anti-SLAPP law. In April 2023 the remaining claims were dismissed, and Resolute appealed to the Ninth Circuit in May 2023. On 26 April 2024 Greenpeace Canada published a release headed "Resolute and Greenpeace parties announce the conclusion of long-running litigations".
A HuffPost Canada item dated 20 March 2013 is headed "Greenpeace Canada Resolute retraction". the sources reviewed describe it as a withdrawn claim caused by a map error. The notes do not state how it relates to the lawsuits.
- 201320 March: HuffPost Canada reports a Greenpeace Canada retraction concerning Resolute (notes: map error)
- 2019January: US federal court dismisses Resolute's RICO claims and 294 of 296 statements
- 2020April: Resolute ordered to pay about $816,000 in fees under California's anti-SLAPP law (per Greenpeace)
- 2022November: Greenpeace report on TotalEnergies' emissions (declared 455 Mt CO2e for 2019; Greenpeace estimate about 1.64 Gt)
- 2023TotalEnergies sues Greenpeace France; February: Shell files Admiralty Court claim over the Penguins FPSO boarding; April: Resolute's remaining claims dismissed; May: Resolute appeals to the Ninth Circuit
- 202428 March: Paris court dismisses TotalEnergies' suit; 26 April: Greenpeace Canada announces conclusion of litigation with Resolute; 10 December: Shell claim settled
What was said
Where accounts differ
Each party's account, side by side, with its source. The record does not settle these points; it shows them.
Declared 455 Mt CO2e for 2019 and sued over the report, asking for its removal and €2,000 per day.
Its November 2022 report estimated about 1.64 Gt for 2019.
Dismissed the suit on 28 March 2024 on procedural grounds: the summons was too vague.
Climate Case ChartClaimed damages of about £800,000 plus costs.
Said the claim was worth up to $2.1 million.
The claim ended in settlement on 10 December 2024: £300,000 to the RNLI, no admission of liability, 500-metre exclusion zones at Shell sites.
Brick Court ChambersBrought RICO claims against Greenpeace in the Northern District of California; its own account of the claims is not in the sources found.
Dismissed the RICO claims and 294 of 296 statements in January 2019, and the remaining claims in April 2023.
Announced on 26 April 2024 the conclusion of the long-running litigation with Resolute; a March 2013 HuffPost Canada item reports a Greenpeace Canada retraction concerning Resolute.
Greenpeace CanadaHow it looked
Shown
- TotalEnergies declared 455 Mt CO2e of emissions for 2019.TotalEnergies
- Greenpeace estimated about 1.64 Gt of emissions for TotalEnergies in 2019, in a November 2022 report.Greenpeace France
- The Shell claim was worth up to $2.1 million.Greenpeace
- The Resolute litigation had concluded (release headed "Resolute and Greenpeace parties announce the conclusion of long-running litigations").Greenpeace Canada · Greenpeace Canada
Recorded
- 28 March 2024: the Paris Judicial Court dismissed TotalEnergies' suit against Greenpeace France on procedural grounds (summons too vague, Article 54 of the Code of Civil Procedure).
- 10 December 2024: Shell's claim was settled. Greenpeace gave £300,000 to the RNLI, admitted no liability and accepted 500-metre exclusion zones at Shell sites for 5 or 10 years.
- January 2019: the Northern District of California dismissed Resolute's RICO claims and 294 of 296 statements.
- April 2020: Resolute was ordered to pay about $816,000 in fees under California's anti-SLAPP law (source: Greenpeace).
- April 2023: Resolute's remaining claims were dismissed; Resolute appealed to the Ninth Circuit in May 2023.
In court and with insurers
Lawsuits and rulings
- 2023–2024-03-28DismissedTotalEnergies v Greenpeace FranceParis Judicial Court · Civil · TotalEnergies → Greenpeace France
Suit over a November 2022 Greenpeace report: TotalEnergies declared 455 Mt CO2e for 2019 and Greenpeace estimated about 1.64 Gt. TotalEnergies asked for the report's removal and €2,000 per day. The court dismissed the suit on procedural grounds because the summons was too vague (Article 54, Code of Civil Procedure). Climate Case Chart
- 2023-02–2024-12-10Settled£0.3m £300,000 given by Greenpeace to the RNLI under the settlement (millions)Shell v Greenpeace UK and Greenpeace International (Penguins FPSO)Admiralty Court · Civil · Shell → Greenpeace UK and Greenpeace International
Claim over the boarding of the Penguins FPSO, for damages of about £800,000 plus costs (Greenpeace said up to $2.1 million). Settled on 10 December 2024: £300,000 to the RNLI, no admission of liability, 500-metre exclusion zones at Shell sites for 5 or 10 years. Brick Court Chambers
- unknown–2023-04Dismissed$0.82m About $816,000 in fees ordered against Resolute under California's anti-SLAPP law, April 2020 (source: Greenpeace) (millions)Resolute Forest Products v Greenpeace (RICO)US District Court, Northern District of California · Civil · Resolute Forest Products → Greenpeace
January 2019: RICO claims dismissed together with 294 of 296 statements. April 2020: Resolute ordered to pay about $816,000 in fees under California's anti-SLAPP law. April 2023: remaining claims dismissed; Resolute appealed to the Ninth Circuit in May 2023 and the outcome was not found. On 26 April 2024 Greenpeace Canada announced the conclusion of the long-running litigation between the parties. Greenpeace Canada
Insurers
What nature saw
Nature's report opens this page. Below: further outcomes measured on the ground.
What we don't know
Nature
- Not measured Harm to nature: The record holds no measurement of harm to nature.
Figures
- Insufficient Costs awarded: Reported but not independently verified: costs awarded to Greenpeace in the TotalEnergies case.
Accounts
Record
- None on record The outcome of Resolute's Ninth Circuit appeal was not found.
- None on record The terms on which the Resolute litigation concluded in April 2024 are not given in the sources found.
- None on record The exclusion period under the Shell settlement is given as 5 or 10 years.
- Insufficient Reported but not independently verified: costs of €15,000 awarded to Greenpeace in the TotalEnergies case.
Did the harm stop?
Not applicable: the suits concerned a report, a vessel boarding and published statements, not a physical harm to land or water.
Who paid?
Greenpeace gave £300,000 to the RNLI in the Shell settlement. Resolute was ordered to pay about $816,000 in fees in April 2020, according to Greenpeace. No payment is recorded in the TotalEnergies case.
Sources
Courts
Press and investigations
- Greenpeace Canada Resolute retractionHuffPost Canada · 2013-03-20
Communities and civil society
- Resolute and Greenpeace parties announce the conclusion of long-running litigationsGreenpeace Canada · 2024-04-26
Standard-setters and registries
- TotalEnergies v. Greenpeace France (SLAPP case)Climate Case Chart · 2024-03
Connected cases
- Resolute Forest Products v Greenpeace Canada · 2012–2024 Related matter
- Resolute Forest Products (Company) — here: Claimant against Greenpeace (RICO); there: Forest products company; claimant in the US case
- Greenpeace (NGO) — here: Defendant in all three suits; there: Defendant in the US case; campaigner
- Energy Transfer v Greenpeace (Dakota Access) United States · 2017–2026 Related matter
- Greenpeace (NGO) — here: Defendant in all three suits; there: Defendant in the federal suit
- TotalEnergies v Greenpeace France France · 2022–2024 Related matter
- TotalEnergies (Company) — here: Claimant against Greenpeace France; there: Claimant
- Standing Rock / Dakota Access: arrests, TigerSwan and the Greenpeace damages award United States · 2025 Related matter
- Alliance to End Plastic Waste and Renew Oceans (Ganges) India · 2019–2026
- TotalEnergies (Company) — here: Claimant against Greenpeace France; there: Member (as "Total"); named among five members compared by Unearthed
- Shell (Company) — here: Claimant against Greenpeace UK and Greenpeace International; there: Founding member; named among five members compared by Unearthed
- Greenpeace (NGO) — here: Defendant in all three suits; there: Its Unearthed unit published the 2024 comparison
- COP28 decision promoted carbon capture and left room for transition fuels United Arab Emirates · 2023
- TotalEnergies (Company) — here: Claimant against Greenpeace France; there: Member of the Global CCS Institute
- Shell (Company) — here: Claimant against Greenpeace UK and Greenpeace International; there: Member of the Global CCS Institute
- Cordillera Azul National Park carbon project Peru · 2008–2026
- TotalEnergies (Company) — here: Claimant against Greenpeace France; there: Credit buyer
- Shell (Company) — here: Claimant against Greenpeace UK and Greenpeace International; there: Credit buyer
- Germany rejects 215,000 carbon credits from Chinese oil-sector projects Germany · 2024
- TotalEnergies (Company) — here: Claimant against Greenpeace France; there: Named among companies that used the credits, as reported
- Shell (Company) — here: Claimant against Greenpeace UK and Greenpeace International; there: Named among companies that used the credits, as reported
- Norway Longship and Northern Lights CCS; Sleipner Norway · 1991–2025
- TotalEnergies (Company) — here: Claimant against Greenpeace France; there: Northern Lights partner
- Shell (Company) — here: Claimant against Greenpeace UK and Greenpeace International; there: Northern Lights partner
- Shell and Greenpeace settle Penguins FPSO case; Greenpeace pays RNLI £300,000 United Kingdom · 2023–2024
- Shell (Company) — here: Claimant against Greenpeace UK and Greenpeace International; there: Claimant
- Greenpeace (NGO) — here: Defendant in all three suits; there: Defendant; paid the RNLI and accepted exclusion zones
- Amsterdam votes to ban fossil fuel and meat adverts; Paris court faults TotalEnergies Netherlands · 2024–2026
- TotalEnergies (Company) — here: Claimant against Greenpeace France; there: Defendant; the Paris court found its 2050 carbon-neutral claim misleading
- Brazil REDD+ forest credits: Suruí project suspended; 2024 Amazonas concessions probed Brazil · 2013–2026
- Shell (Company) — here: Claimant against Greenpeace UK and Greenpeace International; there: minority investor in Carbonext
- Brazil: Operation Greenwashing Brazil · 2024–2025
- Shell (Company) — here: Claimant against Greenpeace UK and Greenpeace International; there: Reported to hold a stake in Carbonext
- Brent Spar decommissioning controversy (North Sea) United Kingdom · 1995–2019
- Greenpeace (NGO) — here: Defendant in all three suits; there: Campaigner in the Brent Spar controversy
- Coca-Cola plastic pledges and brand audits United States · 2018
- Greenpeace (NGO) — here: Defendant in all three suits; there: Analyst of the alliance's results
- Court cancels Shell's Wild Coast seismic exploration rights South Africa · 2022–2024
- Shell (Company) — here: Claimant against Greenpeace UK and Greenpeace International; there: Holder of the seismic exploration rights
- EACOP pipeline: insurers decline, construction continues Uganda / Tanzania · 2021–2026
- TotalEnergies (Company) — here: Claimant against Greenpeace France; there: Majority shareholder (62%)
- Edelman: API contract, Energy Citizens and the COP30 contract United States · 2005–2026
- Shell (Company) — here: Claimant against Greenpeace UK and Greenpeace International; there: Client in 2025 per the record
- EDF spying on Greenpeace (France) France · 2011–2013
- Greenpeace (NGO) — here: Defendant in all three suits; there: Organisation placed under surveillance; awarded damages at first instance
- Erika oil spill France · 1999–2012
- TotalEnergies (Company) — here: Claimant against Greenpeace France; there: Total SA: criminal liability upheld and held civilly liable (2012); could not rely on CLC channelling
- EU bans three neonicotinoid pesticides outdoors in 2018; Turkey follows in part European Union · 2018
- Greenpeace (NGO) — here: Defendant in all three suits; there: campaigner and reporter on exports
- EU narrows supply-chain law and delays deforestation rule twice European Union · 2024–2026
- TotalEnergies (Company) — here: Claimant against Greenpeace France; there: Named in leaked documents on the supply-chain law
- EU seal-product ban's Inuit exemption found ineffective Canada · 2014
- Greenpeace (NGO) — here: Defendant in all three suits; there: Campaigner; apology issuer (unverified)
- Gabon planned 187 million sovereign carbon credits as TotalEnergies took a timber stake Gabon · 2022
- TotalEnergies (Company) — here: Claimant against Greenpeace France; there: Buyer of a 49 per cent stake in CBG
- Gorgon LNG carbon storage fell short; gap closed with credits Australia · 2006
- Shell (Company) — here: Claimant against Greenpeace UK and Greenpeace International; there: Gorgon partner (IEEFA)
- Greenpeace leaves the Forest Stewardship Council in 2018 Global · 2018
- Greenpeace (NGO) — here: Defendant in all three suits; there: Organisation that ended its FSC membership
- Greenpeace says fisheries scientist Ray Hilborn got $3.56m from seafood groups United States · 2003–2016
- Greenpeace (NGO) — here: Defendant in all three suits; there: complainant; reported the funding figures
- Groningen gas field Netherlands · date not stated
- Shell (Company) — here: Claimant against Greenpeace UK and Greenpeace International; there: Claimant in arbitration against the Netherlands
- Hess agreed to buy at least US$750 million of Guyana forest credits Guyana · 2011–2032
- Greenpeace (NGO) — here: Defendant in all three suits; there: Campaign group that criticised the plan
- Hill & Knowlton and Edelman: PR for fossil fuel clients and climate summits Egypt · 2005–2025
- Shell (Company) — here: Claimant against Greenpeace UK and Greenpeace International; there: agency client
- Hill & Knowlton, the Frank Statement and the TIRC United States · 1953–2022
- Shell (Company) — here: Claimant against Greenpeace UK and Greenpeace International; there: Client at the time of COP27
- Indonesia's forest moratorium: ministry cited 38% less clearing, Greenpeace disputed it Indonesia · 2011–2019
- Greenpeace (NGO) — here: Defendant in all three suits; there: critic; published satellite analysis
- Kariba REDD+ project (Zimbabwe) Zimbabwe · 2011–2025
- TotalEnergies (Company) — here: Claimant against Greenpeace France; there: Credit buyer
- Ken Saro-Wiwa and the Ogoni Nine; Wiwa v Shell Nigeria · 1958–2026
- Shell (Company) — here: Claimant against Greenpeace UK and Greenpeace International; there: Operator through SPDC; defendant in Wiwa v Shell and the Dutch case; sold SPDC in 2025
- McKinsey advice to COP28 presidency and fossil clients United Arab Emirates · 2011–2025
- Greenpeace (NGO) — here: Defendant in all three suits; there: Author of the 2011 report on McKinsey's cost curves
- Milan court acquits Eni and Shell in Nigeria corruption case Italy · 2021
- Shell (Company) — here: Claimant against Greenpeace UK and Greenpeace International; there: Defendant, acquitted
- Mozambique LNG environmental assessment (ERM) Mozambique · 2014–2024
- TotalEnergies (Company) — here: Claimant against Greenpeace France; there: Later employer of the assessment's project manager
- Niger Delta oil spills and sabotage attribution (Shell, Eni) Nigeria · 2008–2022
- Shell (Company) — here: Claimant against Greenpeace UK and Greenpeace International; there: Operator through SPDC; sold SPDC in 2025
- Offshore wind wake effect disputes (Ørsted, UK and Germany) United Kingdom · 2020–2026
- TotalEnergies (Company) — here: Claimant against Greenpeace France; there: Lobbied on German tender rules
- Ogoniland and Bodo spills clean-up (SPDC, HYPREP) Nigeria · 1958–2026
- Shell (Company) — here: Claimant against Greenpeace UK and Greenpeace International; there: Parent of SPDC; halted Ogoniland production in 1993; sold SPDC to Renaissance in March 2025
- Paris court finds TotalEnergies' 2050 carbon-neutral claim misleading France · 2025
- TotalEnergies (Company) — here: Claimant against Greenpeace France; there: Company found to have misled consumers
- Plant-for-the-Planet: 13.6 billion trees Germany / Global · 2011–2024
- Shell (Company) — here: Claimant against Greenpeace UK and Greenpeace International; there: 1t.org pledger (2021 list)
- Plastic waste imports into Türkiye (Adana) Türkiye · 2016–2026
- Greenpeace (NGO) — here: Defendant in all three suits; there: Reported UK plastic at Adana dumping sites (2021)
- Producers funded 90% of EDF's 2013 methane study, HPPR reported United States · 2013
- Shell (Company) — here: Claimant against Greenpeace UK and Greenpeace International; there: Producer funder of the study
- Quest CCS (Shell, Alberta) Canada · 2015–2020
- Shell (Company) — here: Claimant against Greenpeace UK and Greenpeace International; there: Facility owner
- Rainforest credits investigation Global · 2009–2023
- Shell (Company) — here: Claimant against Greenpeace UK and Greenpeace International; there: Named credit buyer
- Raja Ampat nickel licences revoked Indonesia · 2025
- Greenpeace (NGO) — here: Defendant in all three suits; there: Campaign organisation; reported more than 500 hectares destroyed
- Russia declares WWF and Greenpeace 'undesirable' organisations Russia · 2023
- Greenpeace (NGO) — here: Defendant in all three suits; there: Declared undesirable and closed in Russia
- Russia labels WWF Russia a foreign agent, then an undesirable organisation Russia · 2023
- Greenpeace (NGO) — here: Defendant in all three suits; there: Declared undesirable on 19 May 2023
- Salem tanker Senegal (offshore) · 1979–1985
- Shell (Company) — here: Claimant against Greenpeace UK and Greenpeace International; there: Cargo owner (Shell International Petroleum); claimant against cargo underwriters
- Shell buys Australian carbon-farming firm Select Carbon in August 2020 Australia · 2020–2023
- Shell (Company) — here: Claimant against Greenpeace UK and Greenpeace International; there: acquirer of Select Carbon
- Shell nature-based solutions and carbon-neutral driving ads Netherlands · 2019–2023
- Shell (Company) — here: Claimant against Greenpeace UK and Greenpeace International; there: Fuel seller; advertiser of carbon-neutral driving; author of the Sky 1.5 scenario
- Shell Nigeria pipeline spill ruling (Hague Court of Appeal, 2021) Nigeria · 2021–2022
- Shell (Company) — here: Claimant against Greenpeace UK and Greenpeace International; there: Parent group of Shell Nigeria
- Shell reserves overstatement case: investors settle for $352.6 million United States · 2006
- Shell (Company) — here: Claimant against Greenpeace UK and Greenpeace International; there: company whose reserves were restated
- Shell Rocky Mountain Arsenal insurance case United States · 1987–2010
- Shell (Company) — here: Claimant against Greenpeace UK and Greenpeace International; there: Policyholder; co-payer of Arsenal cleanup
- Shell's 1.5C scenario relied on 700 million hectares of new forest Global · 2019–2021
- Shell (Company) — here: Claimant against Greenpeace UK and Greenpeace International; there: author of the Sky 1.5 scenario; offered carbon-neutral driving
- Shell's 2022 stake in Brazilian REDD+ developer Carbonext Brazil · 2022
- Shell (Company) — here: Claimant against Greenpeace UK and Greenpeace International; there: bought a minority stake in Carbonext in 2022
- The Hague's fossil fuel advertising ban took effect in 2025 after court upheld it Netherlands · 2021
- TotalEnergies (Company) — here: Claimant against Greenpeace France; there: Defendant in the Paris court ruling on carbon neutrality advertising
- TotalEnergies Batéké acacia carbon project (Congo) Republic of Congo · 2020–2025
- TotalEnergies (Company) — here: Claimant against Greenpeace France; there: Sub-lessee and carbon-credit sponsor of the plantation
- TotalEnergies reportedly abandoned Congo carbon plantation at 12.5% of target Uganda · 2020–2025
- TotalEnergies (Company) — here: Claimant against Greenpeace France; there: developer of Tilenga and sponsor of the Batéké plantation
- TotalEnergies’ Tilenga oil fields in Uganda: biodiversity claims and insurance Uganda · 2021–2022
- TotalEnergies (Company) — here: Claimant against Greenpeace France; there: Developer of the Tilenga oil fields
- Turmeric, neem, basmati, Nap Hal patent revocations India · 2004–2022
- Greenpeace (NGO) — here: Defendant in all three suits; there: Declared victory on the Nap Hal wheat revocation
- UK agreed up to £21.7bn over 25 years for two CCS clusters United Kingdom · 2024
- TotalEnergies (Company) — here: Claimant against Greenpeace France; there: named as a leading company behind the clusters
- UK packaging recycling notes (PRN) system and export fraud United Kingdom · 2009–2025
- Greenpeace (NGO) — here: Defendant in all three suits; there: NGO; found UK plastic at sites in Adana