Fossil Fuel Giants Spend $5.6 Billion on Global Sports Sponsorships
A new report reveals the extensive use of 'sportswashing' by oil and gas companies to improve their public image and divert attention from climate impacts.
- The New Weather Institute report highlights 205 active sponsorship deals between fossil fuel companies and major sports organizations.
- Aramco, Ineos, Shell, and TotalEnergies are the top spenders, with Aramco alone investing $1.3 billion.
- Sports such as soccer, motorsports, rugby, and golf are the primary beneficiaries of these sponsorships.
- The report underscores the paradox of sports organizations accepting money from industries contributing to climate change, which threatens the future of sports.
- Calls for regulation and transparency in sponsorship deals are growing, with some experts advocating for a ban similar to that on tobacco advertising.