(ANSA) - ROME, NOV 20 - Italy came 43rd in the latest Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) presented on Wednesday at the COP29 UN Climate Conference in Baku.
    The report drafted by Germanwatch, the Climate Action Network and the New Climate Institute, with Italian association Legambiente contributing, gave Italy a medium rating in greenhouse gas emissions and energy use, and a low one in renewable energy and climate policy.
    The report said new fossil fuel gas capacities have been authorized in Italy and the country's renewable energy potential has not been reached.
    It said there is no action plan for ending Italy's fossil fuel subsidies, which the latest IMF report says amount to USD 63 billion.
    It said Italy should set a more ambitious coal phase-out date and halt the expansion of fossil fuel extraction and infrastructure, as well as reaching an economy-wide emissions reduction of 65% by 2030 to be in line with the 1.5°C Paris goal.
    This year's ranking is a slight improvement on last year's, when Italy came 44th after dropping 15 positions.
    The CCPI tracks the climate mitigation performance of 63 countries and the EU.
    "The climate crisis is an existential threat to life on Earth.
    To reduce the magnitude of the crisis' impacts, we must limit global warming to 1.5°C, as decided in the Paris Agreement," says the CCPI website.
    "Only decisive action will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, which are responsible for climate change.
    "As an independent monitoring tool, the CCPI has a leading role in informing on the Paris Agreement's implementation phase.
    "Since 2005, the CCPI has provided analysis of countries' climate protection performance.
    "It creates transparency in climate policy, makes it possible to compare climate protection efforts, and lets you see progress and setbacks". (ANSA).