With a sentence that will mark the history of climatic justice in Italy, The United Sections of the Court of Cassation gave reason to Greenpeace Italy, Recommon and 12 towns and citizens who, in May 2023, had promoted legal action against Eni, Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (CDP) and the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF).
The verdict, made public on 22 July 2025, changes the rules of the game: from today also in Italy those who pollute can be brought to court. The large companies responsible for the climatic crisis will no longer be able to hide behind legal quibbles.
Historical victory for the climate! The Court of Cassation gives reason to Greenpeace Italia, Recommon and the 12 people who have sued Eni. #Lagiustacausa continues!
Posted by Recommon On Tuesday, July 22, 2025
But let’s start from the beginning and summarize the passages of the story.
Because Eni has been reported
It all started in May 2023, when Greenpeace Italia, Recommon and 12 towns and citizens decided to sue Eni, one of the largest Italian energy companies, but also in Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (CDP) and the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF), as shareholders.
Why? Why For years, Eni has continued to invest and earn above all from fossil fuels, such as oil and gas, contributing significantly to climate change. According to the applicants, Eni He knew very well that his activities were damaging the climatebut he chose to continue on that road.
Those who promoted the cause asked the judges to oblige Eni to respect the Paris agreement, that is, to drastically reduce their greenhouse gase emissions, to protect people’s health and the environment.
But Eni and the other two parts involved replied that in Italy there is no such cause: according to them, the judges did not have the power to intervene on these issues. At that point, Greenpeace, Recommon and citizens turned to the Court of Cassation to ask for a definitive clarification.
A historical decision for climate and human rights
The Court of Cassation has established that the climatic causes are fully eligible in our systemand that the Italian judges can pronounce on the damage caused by climate change, leveraging not only on national legislation but also on the supranational one.
As Greenpeace Italy and Recommon said:
This historical sentence clearly says that even in Italy you can have climatic justice. Nobody, not even a giant like Eni, can get away from their responsibilities. The judges will finally be able to examine the merit of our cause: those who pollute and contribute to the climatic crisis must respond to their actions.
This pronouncement represents an alignment of Italy to the most advanced countries in terms of environmental protection and human rights. A courageous choice, which strengthens the protection of the fundamental rights of people threatened by the effects of the climatic crisis, in line with what has already been affirmed by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR).
The “just cause” can go on
The verdict has an immediate impact also on the cause intended in 2023 against Eni, CDP and MEF. The counterparties had raised the exception of “absolute defect of jurisdiction”, claiming that an ordinary judge was not competent in climatic matters. But the Cassation clarified that this exception does not hold up: the climatic litigation does not represent an invasion of political or corporate prerogatives, but fully falls within the skills of ordinary justice.
Even more important, the Supreme Court has established that the Italian judges are competent even when the climatic damages derive from activities of companies controlled abroad, if the consequences occur in Italy or if the strategic decisions have been taken by the group leader based in our country. A decisive turning point to combat “environmental dumping” and global multinational responsibilities.
A precedent for all future climatic causes
This sentence marks a historical turning point for climatic justice in Italy. , But it opens the way to all future actions that want to call polluting companies to answer for their choices. It is the formal recognition that the climatic crisis is a matter of justice and human rights, and that those who feed it must be called to respond before the law.
Now the Court of Rome will finally be able to enter into the merits of the case intended by Greenpeace, Recommon and the 12 citizens. He may evaluate any damage caused by Eni’s emissions and decide whether to force it to respect the Paris agreement, significantly reducing their emissions.
A awaited, necessary and encouraging turning point for those who have been fighting for a right transition for years, for a more sustainable tomorrow and because large fossil companies finally take on their responsibilities.
The future of our climate is played, from today, also in the courts.
Sources: Greenpeace / Recommon
