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Italian minister for ecological transition Roberto Cingolani said he was pursuing talks with the EU Commission to convince Ursula von der Leyen’s team to grant the country an extension to the bloc’s climate change rules.
Brussels wants all cars sold from 2035 to produce zero emissions.
But the deadline is proving difficult to respect for Italian luxury car makers Ferrari, Lamborghini and Maserati.
Mr Cingolani told Bloomberg: “In the gigantic cars market there is a niche, and there are ongoing discussions with the EU Commission.”
The former non-executive director at Ferrari added: “We are discussing with other partners in Europe and I am convinced there will not be a problem.”
But the EU Commission has denied such talks are even taking place and has already dismissed Italy’s request to have exemptions.
A spokesperson for the EU institution said: “The proposal to reduce emissions by 100 percent in new cars by 2035 will apply to all automobile manufacturers.”
In July, the European Commission published a sweeping package of climate policies including binding targets for countries to restore and grow forests, peatlands and other natural “carbon sinks” that suck CO2 out of the atmosphere.
The European Union’s huge policy package to make good on a pledge to reduce net greenhouse emissions by 55 percent from 1990 levels by 2030 has stirred opposition from climate campaigners and even within the executive European Commission.
Teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg cast doubt on the level of ambition.
“Unless the EU tear up their new Fitfor55 package, the world will not stand a chance of staying below 1.5°C of global heating. That’s not an opinion, once you include the full picture it’s a scientific fact. MindTheGap between words and action,” she tweeted.
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“For all the hype, many policies won’t kick in for 10 years or more, like new polluting cars still being sold up to 2035,” said Greenpeace’s Mr Riss.
Combustion engines are also a bugbear for the Greens/EFA Group in the European Parliament, which called for an end to their sale by 2030.
The inclusion of biomass, produced from burning wood pellets or chips, in its energy plans, has also been divisive.
“Others (other policies) will actually fuel the fire, like labelling the burning of trees as renewable energy,” Riss added.
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