A Belgian farmer on Wednesday sued French oil and gas giant TotalEnergies, demanding compensation for damage to his farm caused by climate change.
Hugues Falys, the farmer from Belgium's western Hainaut province in this David-vs-Goliath case, is backed up by environmental groups including Greenpeace and the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH).
"Climate change is having a tangible impact on my work and life: yield losses, extra work, and the stress that comes from dealing with a disrupted crop calendar," Falys said in a statement.
Filed in commercial court in the city of Tournai, the lawsuit marks Belgium's first climate case brought against a multinational company by a citizen.
In making his claim, Falys argued that his "profession is intimately linked to the climate."
"In recent years, climate change has caused farmers a great deal of damage and left us uncertain about the future," he said.
Falys and his backers are seeking recognition of damages suffered by the farmer, but also much broader action from TotalEnergies towards countering climate change.
"The case asks the court to request TotalEnergies to implement a credible transition plan," FIDH said in the statement.
The lawsuit notably calls on TotalEnergies to stop investing in new fossil fuel projects, and cut its oil and gas production by 75 percent by 2040.
Falys targeted TotalEnergies as the leading oil refiner and distributor in Belgium, according to FIDH.
TotalEnergies said it said yet to be officially notified of the case brought in Belgium, but that it "regrets the decision to litigate."
"Climate change and the energy transition are not the legal responsibility of any one party -- but rely on a collective effort from the whole of society," it said in a statement.
The group noted that for a second consecutive year it would be "investing more in renewable and low-carbon energies than in new fossil fuel projects," with five billion euros ($5.5 billion) invested in both 2023 and 2024.
TotalEnergies, along with other oil giants, is a frequent target of climate and human rights activists.
The group faces ongoing litigation over a number of initiatives including the controversial Tilenga drilling project in Uganda and the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) to the coast in Tanzania.