Italy risks being cast the villain in undermining bold European Union plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Silvio Berlusconi, centre-right prime minister, is accused of playing politics while the planet heats up.

In mid-2007, when European ministers unveiled their ambitious “20-20-20” targets, Italy was at the forefront of support. At the time it had a centre-left government whose Green environment minister, Pecoraro Scanio, was probably the most hated politician among Italian industrialists.