On Thursday Dec 17 Australia picked up a 1st place fossil award for Bullying Tuvalu and Other Small Island States. In addition it shared 2nd and 3rd place with Canada, and Japan because of our inability to even keep up with the US on long-term climate finance.
The 10th Fossil of the day award was announced with a minimal staff as the UN has excluded Friends of the Earth, Avaz from the conference and drastically cut back civil society observers. The satirical awards are a popular event presented by Climate Action Network activists. 'Fossil of The Day' awards are given to the countries who perform the worst during the past day's negotiations at UN climate change conferences. (Youtube Video)
The citations state for 1st place:
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Australia? has been awarded a First Place Fossil of the Day Award for putting pressure on Pacific Island nations-and Tuvalu in particular-to agree to 2 degrees and 450 parts per million of CO2. You know, when we see one of the world's most vulnerable nations take the kind of bold actions that we saw Tuvalu take last week, our hearts are warmed and we are filled with inspiration. And maybe that's why we were so discouraged and angry to learn that Australia, one of Tuvalu's bigger, richer neighbors has been acting like a big bully and asking Tuvalu to give up on its strong commitment to a legally binding agreement that keeps the world to 1.5 degrees of warming and 350 ppm. Have no fear, dear audience, Tuvalu stood firm in the face of this outrageous display of aggression...And it's no small feat for a tiny country of 26sq kms and 6000 inhabitants to stand up to financial blackmail from big bad Australia. Our message to you, Australia? Time to act like a leader, not a bully.
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and for 2nd/3rd Place (tie):
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Canada, Australia and Japan were awarded Fossil of the Day because of their inability to even keep up with the US on long-term climate finance. These guys are pretending to behave like poor third world countries with no money that are reeling under the impacts of climate change. Both Canada and Australia have been trying to hide behind the low ambitions of the US and they have tried their best to not be constructive at COP15. Whilst Santa's sack could be overflowing with the gift of responsibility this Yuletide, Japan has so far just repackaged discarded gifts from last year. Much of it's short-term finance announcement will come from pledges it made a while back, and very little clarity on it's additionality. If the US can take a step forward, then, Canada, Australia and Japan have no one else to hide behind. Luckily, there's still some time left and we look towards these countries with some hope that they might come out with a strong position on this.
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