Filling Stadiums with Fossil Fuel Extraction
In a striking revelation, a new animated video released by Greenpeace France unveils the staggering reality of the global fossil fuel industry. According to the video, this industry extracts an amount of oil equivalent to filling a rugby stadium every 3 hours and 37 minutes.
Challenging Fossil Fuel Sponsorship
Collaborating with production company Studio Birthplace, represented by Park Village in the UK, Greenpeace France aims to challenge the association of fossil fuel sponsorship with major sporting events like the Rugby World Cup 2023, which is currently sponsored by French fossil fuel giant TotalEnergies.
Campaigning for Climate Action
Edina Ifticene, a Campaigner at Greenpeace France, emphasizes the disconnect between fossil fuel companies’ sponsorship and their destructive impact on the climate. She states,
“Fossil fuel companies like TotalEnergies piggyback those values by sponsoring popular sports events like the Rugby World Cup, to distract everyone from their climate destruction.”
Clash Over Video Release
The Rugby World Cup Limited attempted to halt the release of the animated video, sending a cease and desist letter to Greenpeace International just one day before the planned public release.
Unyielding Response
Defying attempts at censorship, Ifticene affirms Greenpeace’s determination to expose the truth. She asserts,
“We won’t be silenced… Everyone is waking up to the fact that there is no place for fossil fuels, not in rugby, or anywhere else. We will not be stopped from calling out the truth and will release the video.”
Visualizing Fossil Fuel Impact
The 60-second animated film titled ‘TotalPollution: A Dirty Game’ portrays the stunning magnitude of the global fossil fuel industry’s impact.
The Stade De France, where France and the New Zealand All Blacks will face off, digitally fills with the crude oil produced in just over three hours and thirty-seven minutes, equating to more than six and a half stadiums’ worth of oil in a day.
Theatrical Representation
The animated video employs humor and vivid imagery to illustrate the consequences of fossil fuel extraction. Oil spills from TotalEnergies logos within the stadium, symbolically knock over rugby players and fans, while real footage highlights the climate destruction caused by the industry.
Contradiction in Sponsorship
While TotalEnergies portrays its sponsorship as aligning with rugby’s values, critics argue that fossil fuel companies’ commitment to renewable energy is insufficient.
A recent Greenpeace Central and Eastern Europe report revealed that a mere 0.3% of combined energy production among these companies comes from renewable sources, highlighting the contradiction between sponsorship and environmental responsibility.
A Call for Change
Edina Ifticene calls for a ban on fossil fuel advertising and sponsorship in major sporting events, emphasizing the harm caused by these associations. She stresses,
“For a safer and fairer world, we must end the fossil fuel era, starting with climate-wrecking new fossil fuel projects, before it’s too late.”
Celebrities and Advocates Speak Out
Irish comedian Seán Burke and French comedian Guillaume Meurice lend their voices to the video, emphasizing the urgency of tackling the climate crisis and challenging the fossil fuel industry’s role in sports sponsorship.
Rethinking Sponsorship
Emma Pocock, CEO of FrontRunners, underscores the need to reconsider sponsorship agreements in light of climate disasters. She asserts,
“Companies that aren’t committed to building a safe future shouldn’t have a place in our sporting landscape.”
Filmmakers’ Message
Film directors Jorik Dozy and Sil van der Woerd highlight the urgency of addressing fossil fuel’s impact on the planet. They state,
“We’re all in the middle of a climate emergency, so it’s essential to keep telling stories about the insidiousness of fossil fuels – and how they are ruining the planet for everyone.”
Sources: THX News & Greenpeace.
