A Belgian farmer files a lawsuit against TotalEnergies in the climate case

Organic farmer Hugues Falys, 54, has a farm with cows and also grows grains, vegetables and strawberries. He says his crops produce less regularly because of the climate. “Climate disruption has very tangible consequences for me: loss of efficiency, extra work, increased stress because the calendar has been turned upside down,” Valles says. In the Belgian media.

According to him, farmers' work has a strong relationship with the climate. “But in recent years we have suffered significant damage due to climate change, which raises a great deal of uncertainty about the future.”

to get to know

Valles says she is not looking for high compensation. However, he wants TotalEnergies to take responsibility and ensure that the company reduces its greenhouse gas emissions to prevent future consequences of climate change. The oil company has not responded yet.

The main purpose of issue Therefore, it is an acknowledgment of the damage that farmers suffer as a result of climate change. Heat waves, drought and heavy rains have reduced the productivity of the Valis farm in some years. He had to buy extra feed for his cows from abroad, and felt forced to reduce the size of his herd.

This cause is supported by three non-governmental organizations, including Greenpeace. According to a survey of 300 Wallonia farmers in June last year, cited by claimants, 8 out of 10 Wallonia farmers face difficulties due to “climate reasons”.

coincidence

This is the first time that a multinational company has had to appear in court in a climate case in Belgium. In the Netherlands, Meliodefense had previously filed a lawsuit against Shell. In May 2021, a judge in The Hague ruled that Shell must reduce the company's global emissions more quickly, by 45 percent in 2030 compared to 2019 levels.

In addition, Shell has also been given a commitment to do its best to help reduce emissions from customers and suppliers. The appeal in this case will begin next month.

In Belgium, following the so-called Urgenda case in the Netherlands, a climate action was previously brought against the government. As in the Netherlands, the Belgian court also ruled that the government must do more to combat climate change.

At the end of last year, it was decided on appeal that the Belgian state would have to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 55 percent by 2030 compared to 1990.

Dutch farmers

In the Netherlands, farmers are also being affected by extreme weather conditions, says an LTO spokesperson. “We had a very wet autumn, and also a wet spring. As a result, farmers sometimes couldn't access the land for a while. If you can't get potatoes out of the ground, for example, thirty hectares of your land, that's a cost.”

According to the LTO, it is difficult to determine what this means for the entire agriculture sector. The effect of weather can vary depending on the soil type and therefore the company. “But it is clear that many farmers have suffered from heavy rains in recent months.”

A spokesperson cannot say whether it is right for the Belgian farmer to file a lawsuit against TotalEnergies. She points out that farmers in the Netherlands can insure themselves against damage caused by extreme weather conditions. This concerns damage caused, for example, by hail, storms, rain and fires due to lightning. Since March 1, farmers can again sign up for so-called broad weather insurance.