Greenpeace v. Eni
Greenpeace v. Eni | |
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Court | Civil Court of Rome |
Full case name | Greenpeace Italy v. ENI S.p.A., the Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance and Cassa Depositi e Prestiti S.p.A. |
Greenpeace v. Eni is a 2024
The case, which is based on the 2021 Milieudefensie v Royal Dutch Shell court case, is the first climate change lawsuit filed against a privately owned company in Italy.[3][5]
Background and previous cases
In April 2019,
On 5 June 2021, a group of 24 associations and 179 civil
Lawsuit and related events
On 9 May 2023, the Italian branch of
The allegations against Eni focused on the company's central role in increasing
The twelve citizens who joint-filed the lawsuit lived in several different Italian areas that had been affected directly by the consequences of climate change:
As a result of these allegations, the plaintiffs asked the court to "acknowledge the damage and the violation of [their] human rights to life, health and an undisturbed personal life" and rule that Eni must cut their emissions from 2020 levels by 45% by 2030, in order to reach the goals set by the
Protests at Eni's headquarters
In the night between 4 and 5 December 2023, a group of Greenpeace
Greenpeace report on Eni activities
In July 2024, Greenpeace Italy released a report monitoring Eni's involvement in projects of
Greenpeace also raised concerns over Eni-backed projects authorized by the
Court hearings
The first hearing of the court case took place on 16 February 2024.
On the other hand, Greenpeace, ReCommon and the civil plaintiffs received consulting, among others, from CNR research director Nicola Armaroli, psychotherapist and eco-anxiety expert Rita Fioravanzo, and climate change experts Richard Heede and Marco Grasso.[1] In October 2022, Grasso had notably resigned from his post as director of an energy transition-related research unit at the University of Milano-Bicocca, in protest over the academic institution's failure to provide clarification regarding funding and management of a five-year joint research agreement with Eni.[27][28]
The judge of the Court of Rome eventually agreed to set a second hearing,[14][29] scheduled for 13 September,[29] on preliminary objections raised by Eni, the MEF and CDP, including a so-called "defect of jurisdiction"; the defendants argued that Italian judges would not have the competence to review the greenhouse gas emissions of companies affiliated to the group and located abroad, nor to rule on matters related to the political or business spheres.[14][29] Greenpeace and ReCommon criticized the decision in a statement, stating that dismissing the lawsuit could potentially prevent future climate litigation in Italy, while standing in contrast to the outcome of the KlimaSeniorinnen Schweiz case.[14][29]
Ruling
On 21 June, Eni published a press release stating that Greenpeace Italy and ReCommon had requested to suspend the lawsuit in response to their filing of a jurisdictional review, deeming it as a delay strategy allowing them to "continue their ongoing disinformation campaign, prioritizing media attention over rigorous research, analysis, and evaluation";[14] the following day, the two associations confirmed that they had appealed to the Supreme Court of Cassation, in order to expedite the trial and underline "the need to protect at the highest judicial level our human rights endangered by the human-made climate emergency".[14][29] One of the plaintiffs' lawyers, Matteo Ceruti, also clarified that the suspension of the lawsuit was required by the Code of Civil Procedure in order to file an appeal for a regulation of jurisdiction before the Italian Supreme Court.[14]
On 17 July, Greenpeace announced that the Civil Court of Rome had officially sent the case to the Court of Cassation; the event marked the first time the Italian Supreme Court was ever involved in ruling on a climate change litigation.[30][31]
See also
- Climate justice
- Just transition
- Fossil fuel divestment
- Climate change in Italy
- List of environmental lawsuits
References
- ^ a b c d e f Cotugno, Ferdinando (15 February 2024). "Eni alla sbarra. Al via in Italia il primo processo climatico contro l'azienda". Domani (in Italian). Archived from the original on 22 February 2024. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f Levantesi, Stella (19 February 2024). "Climate Trial Against Oil Giant Eni Opens in Italy". DeSmog. Archived from the original on 22 February 2024. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Due organizzazioni ambientaliste e 12 persone italiane hanno fatto causa a Eni e al ministero dell'Economia per i danni del cambiamento climatico". Il Post (in Italian). 9 May 2023. Archived from the original on 5 July 2023. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Talignani, Giacomo (9 May 2023). "Greenpeace, ReCommon e 12 cittadini fanno causa ad Eni per le sue emissioni". la Repubblica (in Italian). Archived from the original on 5 July 2023. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
- ^ a b c Romano, Angelo (12 May 2023). "L'ENI citata in giudizio da Greenpeace e ReCommon: "Sapeva delle cause del cambiamento climatico ma ha continuato a bruciare combustibili fossili". La prima causa 'climatica' in Italia". Valigia Blu (in Italian). Archived from the original on 5 July 2023. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
- NOS Nieuws (in Dutch). 5 April 2019. Archivedfrom the original on 27 May 2021. Retrieved 10 December 2021.
- ^ a b c Boffey, Daniel (30 November 2020). "Shell in court over claims it hampered fossil fuels phase-out". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 17 May 2021. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
- ^ "Climate change actions against corporations: Milieudefensie et al. v. Royal Dutch Shell plc". Clifford Chance. 13 January 2021. Archived from the original on 19 January 2021. Retrieved 10 December 2021.
- ^ Brian, Stuart (26 May 2021). "Shell ordered to reduce CO2 emissions in watershed ruling". Deutsche Welle. Archived from the original on 26 May 2021. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
- ^ a b Boffey, Daniel (26 May 2021). "Court orders Royal Dutch Shell to cut carbon emissions by 45% by 2030". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 26 May 2021. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
- ^ Zindy, Hanna (26 May 2021). "Court orders Shell to slash CO2 emissions in landmark climate ruling". CNN. Archived from the original on 26 May 2021. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
- ^ a b c d Cotugno, Ferdinando (6 June 2021). "Una causa ambientale allo stato per costringere la politica ad agire". Domani (in Italian). Archived from the original on 5 July 2023. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
- ^ a b c "Anche in Italia c'è una causa allo stato per il clima". Il Post (in Italian). 6 June 2021. Archived from the original on 5 July 2023. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f g Levantesi, Stella (24 June 2024). "Greenpeace Turns to Italy's Highest Court in Lawsuit Against Oil Giant Eni". DeSmog. Retrieved 28 June 2024.
- ^ from the original on 8 July 2023. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
- ^ a b "Causa civile contro ENI presentata da Greenpeace Italia, ReCommon e 12 cittadine e cittadini italiani: "L'operato della società peggiora la crisi climatica e viola i diritti umani"". Greenpeace Italia (in Italian). 9 May 2023. Archived from the original on 23 February 2024. Retrieved 23 February 2024.
- ^ a b Wright, Ruth (11 May 2023). "12 Italian citizens are suing one of the world's biggest oil companies". euronews. Archived from the original on 23 February 2024. Retrieved 23 February 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f Sclippa, Natalie (16 February 2024). "Processo contro Eni. Greenpeace e Recommon portano in tribunale il colosso energetico". lavialibera (in Italian). Archived from the original on 22 February 2024. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
- ^ a b c Levantesi, Stella (9 May 2023). "Italy's Eni Faces Lawsuit Alleging Early Knowledge Of Climate Change". DeSmog. Archived from the original on 5 July 2023. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
- ^ a b "Blitz di Greenpeace a Roma, attivisti scalano palazzo dell'Eni all'Eur e espongono striscione: "Oggi emissioni = domani morte"". la Repubblica (in Italian). 5 December 2023. Archived from the original on 26 February 2024. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
- ^ a b c Martellini, Laura (5 December 2023). "Attivisti di Greenpeace in azione al palazzo Eni a Roma: scalano l'edificio all'alba". Corriere della Sera (in Italian). Archived from the original on 26 February 2024. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
- ^ Rai News (in Italian). 5 December 2023. Archivedfrom the original on 26 February 2024. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
- ^ a b c d e "ENI, bomba climatica contro la pace e i diritti" (PDF). Greenpeace Italia (in Italian). 22 July 2024. Retrieved 17 August 2024.
- ^ a b c d e Basso, Sofia (3 August 2024). "Blog | Le attività di Eni in relazione a clima, pace e diritti? Noi di Greenpeace le abbiamo mappate". Il Fatto Quotidiano (in Italian). Retrieved 17 August 2024.
- ^ "SEDUTA DI MERCOLEDÌ 14 FEBBRAIO 2024" (PDF). documenti.camera.it (in Italian). Camera dei Deputati. 14 February 2024. Retrieved 17 August 2024.
- ^ Longobardo, Marco; Violi, Federica (28 February 2024). "Le esplorazioni dell'Eni al largo di Gaza sono assegnate da Israele in modo illegittimo". Domani (in Italian). Retrieved 17 August 2024.
- ^ Levantesi, Stella (28 October 2022). "Professor Resigns from Research Center Over Partnership with Oil and Gas Major Eni". DeSmog. Archived from the original on 26 February 2024. Retrieved 19 July 2024.
- ^ Carrer, Laura (27 January 2023). "Prof si dimette per protesta dopo l'intesa fra Eni e Bicocca". Domani (in Italian). Archived from the original on 26 February 2024. Retrieved 19 July 2024.
- ^ a b c d e Neri, Valentina (24 June 2024). "Greenpeace e ReCommon fanno ricorso in Cassazione per portare avanti 'La giusta causa' sul clima contro Eni". LifeGate (in Italian). Retrieved 28 June 2024.
- ^ "Clima, Tribunale di Roma sospende la £Giusta causa£ contro ENI come chiesto da Greenpeace e Recommon. Sarà la cassazione a stabilire se in Italia si possono intentare cause climatiche". Greenpeace Italia (in Italian). 17 July 2024. Retrieved 17 August 2024.
- ^ "Stop alla "giusta causa" contro Eni. Ora la Cassazione deciderà sulla possibilità di una causa climatica". e-gazette (in Italian). 22 July 2024. Retrieved 17 August 2024.
External links
- Case summary at climatecasechart.com
- Original Writ of Summons (in Italian)
- Original Writ of Summons (in English)
- Full documentation on Greenpeace Italy