Hugues Falys outside the Tournai court, Belgium, March 18, 2026. SIMON WOHLFAHRT/AFP
They had hoped for a ruling of "historic" significance at the end of this unprecedented trial in Belgium, but now they must wait until the Paris judicial court issues its decision – scheduled for June 25th – on a similar case. Hugues Falys, a farmer from Bois-de-Lessines in the Belgian province of Hainaut, and several non-governmental organizations (NGOs) filed a complaint in 2024 against TotalEnergies, arguing that the French energy giant – the leading distributor of petroleum products in Belgium – was responsible for climate disruption and its consequences for agriculture.
On Wednesday, March 18th, the Tournai commercial court, which specializes in business disputes, was to decide whether the multinational had failed in its due diligence obligations and was therefore responsible for the climate events – heat waves, torrential rains, prolonged drought – that damaged Falys's crops.
The court, which decided not to rule before September 9, wants to wait for the French judges to deliver their decision (expected June 25) on a lawsuit brought by four environmental groups and the City of Paris, who accuse TotalEnergies of failing to adequately address the harmful effects of the fossil fuels it distributes. The Tournai judges explained they were postponing their decision "in the interest of a fully informed debate and the proper administration of justice." They also emphasized that they would decide the case "with complete independence."
