Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has reaffirmed her commitment to pursuing an environmentally friendly energy transition that does not come at the expense of economic development and industrial productivity.
In a video message to the Sustainable Intermodal Logistics Association (ALIS), the Italian premier emphasized the need for “technological neutrality” and called for a reevaluation of European regulations that could cripple key industries, particularly the automotive sector.
Meloni’s message resonated with the audience of logistics and transportation professionals, framing her government’s approach as a pragmatic alternative to what she described as the “ideological rigidity” of current European environmental policies. “In a desert, there is nothing green,” Meloni stated, underscoring the risks of undermining economic growth in the name of pursuing the green agenda.
She called for a full review of policies that could harm the struggling automotive industry and stressed the importance of embracing all technologies that contribute to emissions reduction without dismissing innovations that might align better with current industrial capacities.
The prime minister was critical of the current approach to the green transition by Brussels and left-wing governments across Europe, warning that recent European policies have “paid too high a price to ideology,” which she claimed has stifled business and job creation.
Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini echoed Meloni’s concerns, labeling the EU’s plan to ban internal combustion engines by 2035 as “madness” driven by either “ignorance or arrogance.” Salvini called on the EU to revisit its policies to avoid what he described as a looming “economic, industrial, and environmental suicide.”
Guido Grimaldi, the president of ALIS, supported the government’s stance, criticizing European policies for undermining the transport and logistics sectors. Grimaldi urged the government to continue its support for entrepreneurs navigating challenges from global crises and regulatory burdens.
Meloni closed her message with a promise to ensure that economic and social sustainability remain central to the energy transition. The government’s strategy, she stated, will focus on fostering growth while reducing emissions, avoiding “excessive rigidity” in regulations that harm businesses and jobs.
