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Iberdrola and others vs. Repsol - judgment

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On February 21, 2024, Iberdrola Energía España, a major renewable energy company, submitted a claim before the Commercial Court of Santander, in Spain, on the basis that Repsol  commits irregularities such as "greenwashing", "marketing strategies aimed at exaggerating, or directly falsifying, a company's commitment to sustainability and the environment" and "acts of deception and "misleading omissions." Iberdrola states that Repsol, Spanish major fossil fuel player, will continue to grow in electricity customers and will continue to offer society present and future energy solutions, such as "renewable fuels"" which are a "threat to the false discourse that electrification is the only solution to reduce CO2 emissions in transportation."

On February 21, 2025, the Commercial Court ruled in favor of Iberdrola, and partially upheld its claim against Repsol, S.A. and its subsidiaries for unfair competition through misleading advertising. The court found that multiple environmental claims made by Repsol on its corporate website and in some advertising campaigns were misleading and thus constituted acts of unfair competition under Articles 5 and 7 of Spain’s Unfair Competition Law (LCD). These misleading claims gave the false impression that Repsol was a sustainable company or was leading the energy transition, despite the fact that over 99% of its business was still linked to fossil fuels. 

Note that following this claim submitted before the Commercial Court No. 2 of Santander, environmental and consumer NGOs and associations have submitted claims before the Regulatory Authority (National Commission for Markets and Competition) highlighting the contribution of Repsol to climate change and accusing Repsol of a greenwashing strategy. 

Iberdrola and others vs. Repsol

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An aim to achieve a quantifiable outcome within a given time-frame, set by an institution such as a national government.

Policy instruments are techniques or tools used by governing authorities to promote certain policies in order to achieve predetermined goals. Put simply, instruments are how a government tries to achieve its goals, with this taxonomy being focused on national policy instruments.

Risk is the potential for adverse consequences resulting from the dynamic interplay between (climate-related) hazards, exposure, and vulnerability of affected human or ecological systems.

Groups  of people who are adversely affected by climate change or the response to it

A set of principles, processes, and practices that build economic and political power to shift from an extractive economy to a regenerative economy.

Renewable energy means all forms of energy produced from renewable sources in a sustainable manner.

Fossil fuel is a generic term for non-renewable energy sources such as coal, fossil gas, and oil (including crude oil, and petroleum products), that can be used for electricity and heat generation. Fossil fuels are hydrocarbons formed from pressurised and heated organic material buried over millions of years.

Molecules in the atmosphere that play a key role in the greenhouse effect by trapping heat radiating from Earth’s surface.

Area of the economy in which actors engage in identical or related activities.

In human systems, the process of adjustment to actual or expected climate change and its effects, in order to moderate harm, increase resilience or exploit beneficial opportunities. In natural systems, the process of adjustment to actual climate change and its effects; human intervention may facilitate adjustment to expected climate change and its effects.

The management and allocation of funds, assets and investments to meet various objectives

Any substance with chemical properties that can cause physical harm to people or damage the environment, including ammonia, carbon monoxide, phosphine, chlorine, arsenic, cadmium, mercury, pesticides, dioxins, microplastics, benzene, asbestos, aflatoxins, fluoride, methanol, and toxins from marine sources.

A long-lived, colourless gas, chiefly emitted from fossil fuel combustion, deforestation and cement production.

Any compulsory, unrequited payment to the government levied on corporations or individuals. This can be for environmental reasons, such as introducing a Carbon tax to set a price that emitters must pay for the greenhouse gases they emit.

A target to reduce the prevalence of a greenhouse gas over a specific time frame

Electrical energy generated from mechanical devices driven by flowing fresh water.

Either money or something of monetary value is transferred between two or more organisations, people or countries.

This sector includes firms and individuals offering specialised expertise in fields such as law, accounting, consulting, science and engineering.

Activities of businesses and institutions that provide financial services and products to individuals and organisations.

The activities of industries that transforms raw materials into finished goods through industrial processes.

The activities of industries involved in the production, distribution, and sale of energy, including electricity, gas, and renewables.

This sector creates and distributes information and entertainment through television, radio, print, and digital platforms.

A commitment to balance GHG emissions with removal by a certain point in time, effectively reducing the net emissions to zero

woman and genders outside of the gender binary

This sector involves activities to move goods and people, alongside the storage of products.

Fossil gas, commonly known as natural gas, is a fossil fuel consisting chiefly of methane with smaller amounts of other hydrocarbons and trace gases, found in underground deposits.

Iberdrola and others vs. Repsol - judgment

Target

Policy instrument

Risk

Impacted group

Renewable energy

Fossil fuel

Greenhouse gas

Economic sector

Finance