Ice statue chides Berlusconi for being cool on CO2

ROME (Reuters) - Environmentalists unveiled an ice statue of Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi in the ancient Roman Forum on Thursday, timed to melt away on December 7 as the U.N. climate change summit begins in Copenhagen.

"As well as just taking part in international showcases, we need coherent policies in Italy -- policies we don't see at the moment," said Greenpeace campaigner Francesco Tesco. "On climate, Berlusconi is in danger of being a leader who melts."

The Italian leader's main contribution to the climate change debate in Europe so far was one year ago when, together with Germany, he secured concessions for industry that enabled the European Union to sign a broad deal on cutting carbon emissions.

Environmentalists said Berlusconi, who threatened to block that deal at one point, had contributed to the EU making too many concessions to industry.

"Berlusconi don't be stupid -- save the climate," read the slogan on the ice sculpture, which stood next to an ancient stone statue of Roman emperor Julius Caesar.

Greenpeace said in a report accompanying its pre-summit stunt that 93 percent of Italy's energy still comes from fossil fuels. The government hopes to revive nuclear energy, which it quit two decades ago, to help cut emissions and energy bills.

(Writing by Ella Ide; Editing by Kevin Liffey)