TotalEnergies pursues UAE fossil fuel expansion amid climate emergency calls
TotalEnergies expands fossil fuels in UAE while French scientists push for bans on new projects.
Event / Environment
France Climate Emergency Legislation
Over 90 French scientists, economists, and public figures published a tribune in Le Monde on July 6, 2026, calling for emergency climate legislation in response to record heatwaves. The signatories, including prominent climatologists and economist Thomas Piketty, cited the June 2026 historic heatwave that killed thousands across France, Spain, and Belgium, with France reaching a record temperature of 30°C on June 24. The proposed emergency law includes banning French company participation in new fossil fuel projects, eliminating fossil fuel subsidies, prohibiting lobbying, and expanding the French green fund from under 1 billion to 20 billion euros.
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2026-08-16 to 2026-11-13 · UTC publication dates
Coverage begins 6 Jul, 12:22 UTC
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What happened
Call for elimination of fossil fuel subsidies in France
Scientists and economists signing the emergency climate law tribune call for the elimination of all subsidies to fossil energy industries in France as a key legislative priority.
Scientists propose banning new fossil fuel projects by French companies
The 90+ signatories of the emergency climate law tribune propose prohibiting all French companies from financing or participating directly or indirectly in the opening of new fossil fuel projects in France or abroad. This represents one of the primary legislative priorities they are calling for.
Historic June 2026 heatwave causes thousands of excess deaths across Europe
A historic heatwave in June 2026 across Europe resulted in thousands of excess deaths, according to estimates from France, Spain, and Belgium. The heatwave caused widespread suffering in hospitals, schools, maternity wards, and agricultural areas.
TotalEnergies announces new fossil fuel project in UAE on hottest day
TotalEnergies announced a 10% stake in the Bab Gas Cap concession in the United Arab Emirates on June 24, 2026, coinciding with France's hottest day on record. The announcement drew criticism from the scientific community for proceeding with fossil fuel expansion despite extreme climate conditions.
Record-breaking heatwave hits France on June 24, 2026
France experienced its hottest day on record on June 24, 2026, with the national temperature indicator reaching 30°C, according to Météo-France data. This represents an unprecedented level recorded across thirty reference weather stations measuring both daytime and nighttime temperatures.
French scientists and economists call for emergency climate law
More than 90 French scientists, economists, and public figures published a tribune in Le Monde calling for an emergency climate law in response to repeated heatwaves. The signatories include climatologists Christophe Cassou and Valérie Masson-Delmotte, paleoclimatologist Jean Jouzel, and economist Thomas Piketty. They describe themselves as collectively traumatized by ten consecutive days of extreme heat.
Scientists propose expanding French green fund to 20 billion euros
Signatories of the emergency climate law tribune call for expanding the French green fund, created in 2023 to finance territorial transition projects, from less than 1 billion euros currently to 20 billion euros to accelerate ecological transition across French municipalities.
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French scientists push emergency climate law after deadly heatwave
French scientists demand emergency climate law after heatwave deaths, proposing fossil fuel bans and €20 billion green fund expansion.