Winter Olympics Report 11: Sport in Climate’s Court

Sponsors of the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics include the mega polluter ENI. This sole sponsorship deal with the oil and gas giant is estimated to produce ~700,000 tCO2e.

That’s nearly double the emissions of other high carbon sponsors at the games.

From Milan, Matt Rendell reports on ongoing legal battles against ENI’s polluting practices.

Last year, Italy’s highest court made a historic decision, ruling that a climate lawsuit brought by Greenpeace Italy and advocacy group ReCommon against Eni and its major shareholders can move forward.

For the first time judges in Italy can hear climate cases, and actors contributing to climate change can be sued for damages and tried in court. 

ENI - like other polluting industries - know that public opinion is turning on them. That's why they aim to associate themselves with the world's most-loved sporting events.

It's time to change that.

Throughout the Games, Matt Rendell will be speaking with locals about the environmental and social impacts of the Milano-Cortina Olympics.