Greenpeace, ReCommon and 12 citizens sue Eni for its emissions

First Italian civil lawsuit against the oil and gas multinational Eni for “violation of the Paris Climate Agreement”. They announced it today Greenpeace Italy, ReCommon And twelve Italian citizens all united in what is in fact a premiere climate mitigation of the kind in Italy, an action very similar – which also calls human rights into question – to the one which led a court in the Netherlands to establish that Shell is responsible for having damaged the planet’s climate, forcing the British company to reduce its carbon dioxide emissions.

The pivotal point of the case is the fact, thundered by Greenpeace, that for the first time “the damages will be ascertained, that a judge recognizes the responsibilities in terms of the climate crisis of the subject of Italian law Eni, today to be considered the major responsible for emissions climate change in Italy”.

As he explained Antonio Tricarico of ReCommon, “our country is already today among the most exposed areas of the whole Mediterranean to climate change. It would be criminal to put one’s head under the rug and not act, not to look at who brought us to this situation. Therefore ReCommon and Greenpeace have decided to face it, in the courtroom, for a just, urgent cause, which calls for justice and recognition of Eni’s responsibilities as a major emitter”.

In the world today there are already over 2,600 claims and climate lawsuits against governments and private companies and the one announced this morning is the first civil lawsuit for a private company on the climate issue, a lawsuit against “the fossil champion of the world which forcefully imposes an agenda of fossil gas expansion, irreconcilable with the human rights agenda and the Paris Agreement”.

For Simon Abbate of Greenpeace it is therefore necessary “never to look the other way and finally hold those who knowingly caused the climate changes underway up to their responsibilities”.

Together with the associations, also twelve Italian citizens who come from areas such as the Dolomites, the Po Valley, coastal areas or the Po, all places that today are already undergoing strong transformations due to global warming.

For example Rachel Caravaglios21 years old from Turin, says she does not want “to live in a world in which I will be forced to undergo increasingly impactful changes. I pay taxes and a part goes to finance projects that harm my future: as a citizen I do not accept it, I have the right to live a life not disrupted by the changes started by a single company”.

For Go Destrofrom Veneto who lives in the Polesine area, “here we are already suffering from climate change in a heavy way. For some years now the sea has entered the land, drought and the salt wedge are making themselves felt. I decided to get involved for my territory and not Alone”.

The lawsuit also involved the Ministry of Economy and Finance and Cassa Depositi e Prestiti – as “shareholders who exercise a dominant influence over the company” – given “the control they have over ENI which continues to focus on oil production and gas”.

Therefore, “the damage and violation of their human rights to life, health and an undisturbed family life” will be requested before the Court of Rome. The indication of the possible date for the first hearing is the November 30ththerefore, Eni’s position on the matter will probably be known as early as September.

Among the requests, the one that Eni “be obliged to review its industrial strategy to reduce emissions deriving from its activities by at least 45% by 2030 compared to 2020 levels, as indicated by the international scientific community to maintain the average increase global temperature within 1.5°C as mandated by the Paris Climate Agreement”.