In a crucial development for the Law on the Duty of Vigilance, 3 cases were heard before the Paris Court of Appeal on 5 March. TotalEnergies was summoned in an attempt to force it to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions in line with the Paris Agreement. Suez faces lawsuits related to a Chilean factory failure which allegedly contaminated water and affected 140,000 people. EDF Energy stands accused of not having consulted with Indigenous communities where the energy company plans to install a giant wind farm. The actions, brought by various CSOs, were declared inadmissible in their first hearings. The Court of Appeal is expected to hand down its decision on 18 June 2024.

The hearings are crucial for the future of the Law on the Duty of Vigilance, which has faced controversy over restrictive interpretations which campaigners say jeopardise its effectiveness. The 2017 law aims to prevent human rights and environmental abuses.