MILAN, Feb 3 : Environmental advocacy group Greenpeace has called on Winter Olympics organisers to end their partnership with Italian oil major Eni, warning that the group’s fossil fuel operations undermine efforts to protect snow‑dependent sports as the climate warms.
The Milano Cortina Olympics will run from February 6-22 and state-controlled Eni is one of the premium domestic sponsors of these Games.
Environmental groups say Eni’s activities contribute significantly to global warming, accelerating the loss of natural snow cover and glacier mass in the Alps and other winter sports regions.
“The Winter Olympics need snow, not fossil fuels,” Greenpeace said in a video showing an avalanche of black oil engulfing skiers and the Games’ five‑ring symbol.
Eni said in a statement that it “shared the importance of addressing climate change” and would continue investing in the energy transition as part of its plan to reach net‑zero emissions by 2050.
Greenpeace and ReCommon, another environmental group, have brought a climate change case against Eni, which is ongoing.
RISING TEMPERATURE IN THE ALPS
Rising temperatures in the Alps, increasing at twice the global average according to specialist research group SLF, have already forced the closure of several Italian ski resorts and pushed organisers to rely heavily on artificial snow.
Campaigners argue that companies whose core activities contribute to global warming should not be showcased at events that depend on cold weather to survive.
“Polluters shouldn’t get a podium at the Games. It’s time for the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to drop oil and gas sponsorship,” Greenpeace said.
Greenpeace says the IOC should follow the precedent set in 1988, when tobacco advertising was banned from the Winter Olympics, and phase out fossil fuel sponsorships entirely.
Contacted via email, the IOC said that the Games in Italy were planned with a strong focus on reducing their footprint and supporting host regions in adapting to climate change.
The Games “engage with a range of partners across different sectors, including those investing in technologies and solutions relevant to the global energy transition,” it added.
