Rahul Somvanshi
In a bold move to shed light on the environmental impact of fossil fuels, Greenpeace France, in collaboration with Studio Birthplace, has unveiled an evocative animated video titled ‘TotalPollution: A Dirty Game’. The video, set to go live on 30th August, paints a grim picture of the global fossil fuel industry’s production rate, which is equivalent to filling a rugby stadium with oil every 3 hours and 37 minutes.
This revelation comes at a pivotal time, with the Rugby World Cup 2023 on the horizon, controversially sponsored by TotalEnergies, a French fossil fuel behemoth. The video is not just an artistic representation but a stark reminder of the environmental consequences of our relentless pursuit of fossil fuels. It digitally fills up the Stade De France, the venue for the inaugural match between France and New Zealand All Blacks, with crude oil, emphasizing that this is the amount produced globally in just under four hours.
Edina Ifticene, a fervent campaigner at Greenpeace France, remarked, “Fossil fuel companies like TotalEnergies exploit the values of popular sports events to divert attention from their role in the climate crisis. Their insatiable thirst for record-breaking profits blinds them to the jeopardized future they’re creating.”
However, the release of this video was not without its challenges. Greenpeace International received a cease and desist letter from Rugby World Cup Limited, attempting to block the video’s release. In a defiant response, Ifticene stated, “We won’t be silenced. The fossil-fueled climate crisis is already affecting rugby. The 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan faced disruptions due to a typhoon, and rising sea levels threaten major Pacific Island rugby nations.”
The video, narrated by Irish comedian Seán Burke and French radio columnist Guillaume Meurice, uses dark humor to drive home its message. It showcases oil, symbolizing the fossil fuel industry’s negligence, spilling from TotalEnergies logos and disrupting the game, toppling players and fans alike.
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Patrick Pouyanné, Chairman and CEO of TotalEnergies, had earlier equated the values of rugby with those of his company, emphasizing their commitment to the energy transition. However, a recent report by Greenpeace Central and Eastern Europe paints a different picture. The analysis revealed that a mere 0.3% of the combined energy production of major fossil fuel companies came from renewable sources. Shockingly, 99% of TotalEnergies’ energy production last year was from fossil fuels.
Emma Pocock, CEO of FrontRunners, an Australian sports climate campaigning organization, weighed in, stating, “It’s high time we re-evaluate such sponsorships. Companies not dedicated to a safe future have no place in our sporting landscape.”
Film directors Jorik Dozy and Sil van der Woerd from Studio Birthplace emphasized the urgency of the situation, “We’re in the midst of a climate emergency. It’s crucial to highlight the perilous extent of our dependence on fossil fuels.”
