ROME, Italy — In a significant legal development, Italy’s Supreme Court has greenlit a lawsuit initiated by climate activists against the energy giant ENI, marking a notable moment in the quest for climate accountability in the country. Environmental group Greenpeace, along with ReCommon and twelve Italian citizens, is pursuing damages, alleging that ENI’s practices contribute to climate change damage in Italy.
The Court of Cassation announced on Monday that it has dismissed ENI’s attempts to throw out the lawsuit on jurisdictional grounds, allowing the case to proceed in a Roman tribunal. ENI expressed its satisfaction with the ruling, anticipating that the court would ultimately dismiss the activists’ claims.
This lawsuit, initiated in 2023, targets ENI and its principal government stakeholders, including the Italian finance ministry and the national development bank. The plaintiffs are leveraging their rights as outlined in the European Convention of Human Rights and emphasizing Italy’s commitments to various international climate agreements. They argue that significant greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel combustion lead to severe environmental consequences, including extreme weather phenomena and rising sea levels.
For decades, scientific consensus has established a direct link between fossil fuel emissions and global heating, leading to widespread initiatives across the globe. Individuals, activist organizations, and local governments have increasingly turned to legal avenues to compel corporations and governments to address climate change and provide restitution for climate-related harms.
Greenpeace and ReCommon hailed the court’s ruling as historic, asserting it will influence both current and future climate litigation in Italy. They contend that this decision aligns Italy with other European nations that have acknowledged the rights of individuals to hold fossil fuel companies accountable for their climate contributions. The ruling is viewed as one of the most impactful decisions regarding climate litigation on an international scale.
“This ruling signifies that even large companies like ENI can no longer evade responsibility,” the environmental groups stated. They emphasized the importance of allowing judges to evaluate the activists’ claims, which assert that corporations must face consequences for their environmental impact.
ENI welcomed the court’s decision, reaffirming its commitment to debunk what it regards as baseless allegations made by Greenpeace and ReCommon. The company anticipates that the forthcoming proceedings in the Court of Rome will demonstrate that the claims lack merit and often rely on misconceptions related to the company’s role in climate issues.
While the court’s ruling does not assess the lawsuit’s substantive claims, it underscores that Italian courts can address allegations concerning emissions from ENI subsidiaries operating abroad, especially given that the alleged harm occurred within Italy and originated from decisions made by the parent entity based in the country.
This legal development not only reflects the increasing momentum of climate justice movements globally but also positions Italian courts as critical arenas for environmental accountability in the face of climate change challenges.
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