Italy’s highest court has given the green light to a lawsuit against the oil giant Eni for its role in warming the planet.
The Supreme Court of Cassation last week rejected the company’s motion to dismiss the case and said it can continue before the Court of Rome trial court.
The environmental groups Greenpeace Italy and ReCommon, along with 12 Italian citizens filed suit in 2023 against the state-controlled oil producer for “past and potential future damages resulting from its contribution to climate change.”
The groups hailed the Supreme Court decision in a joint statement, saying the court “establishes unequivocally that no one is above the law and that the interests of Big Oil cannot outweigh the rights of people to have their health and safety protected by courts.”
