TotalEnergies defends AFCON sponsorship amid greenwashing accusations

TotalEnergies has denied accusations of greenwashing after prominent African environmental activists criticized its sponsorship of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) as misleading marketing intended to obscure its environmental impact.

A company spokesperson told Pluboard the claim is “not true”, and its partnership with the Confederation of African Football (CAF) hopes to:

• highlight the multi-energy aspect of its activities, and its ambition to be a major player in the energy transition, on the path to net zero by 2050, together with society
• rally its stakeholders and customers around the passion and joy of football
• bring its employees together

“Greenwashing”

TotalEnergies entered into an eight-year partnership with the Confederation of African Football (CAF) in 2016, becoming a partner and title sponsor of CAF’s 10 main competitions, including the prestigious Africa Cup of Nations, which was renamed TotalEnergies AFCON.

The one-month long tournament, which ended Sunday with Ivory Coast emerging the winner after defeating Nigeria 2-1, is rated by many as the world’s third-largest football tournament after the World Cup and the European Championship.

Environmentalists accuse Total of using the sponsorship as a ploy to clean up its image as a climate change-causing fossil fuel company. The groups, including Greenpeace, Nigeria-based HOMEF and 350Africa, released a statement on Friday saying the deal amounts to “modern-day deception and an insult to Africans.”

“Instead of spending its billions to pay just compensation to victims of its destructive activities in Africa, clean up its mess and invest in clean and sustainable forms of energy, Total has been engaging in greenwashing over the last month, by sponsoring the Africa Cup of Nations,” they said.

The French oil and gas giant, which operates in Nigeria and other African nations, recorded a $23.2 billion profit in 2023, four percent increase from 2022, the highest return in the firm’s history.

The groups accused Total and other companies of continuing to profit from the leading causes of climate change as the world teeters on the point of 1.5 degrees limit of global warming. They also criticised the company’s operations in Africa.

“Focus on Renewables”

TotalEnergies claimed to be investing more in low-carbon energies than new oil and gas projects, citing a €5 billion investment in 2023 and aiming to be a leading “low carbon electricity producer” by 2030. As an example, it highlights a recently approved 1.5 GW hydroelectric project in Mozambique, expected to power over 3 million homes and support the region’s energy transition.

“This will extend TotalEnergies’ operations in Mozambique (in addition to the Mozambique LNG project), with a significant investment in renewables that will have a positive impact on the local population, as a further example of how TotalEnergies implements its multi-energy strategy in oil and gas countries to support their energy transition,” said spokesperson Pol-Rémy Barjavel.

The company it is resolutely pursuing its ambition, completely changing its production and sales mix, even as it continues to meet the energy needs of growing populations.