A quick overview of the standings…
With just days to go before COP15, it’s time for a quick overview of where things stand after the Barcelona Climate Talks!
Monday
The Barcelona fossil awards kicked off with shock first place for the hosts of COP15 – DENMARK! Awarded to Prime Minister Lars L økke for “spreading confusion and insecurity” and “attempting to downplay expectations for a legally binding framework agreement”. That’s not the way leaders behave, Lars! Second place went, predictably, to Canada for claiming it would be “irresponsible” to try to achieve 25% reductions as this would reduce annual growth from 2.4% to 2.1%. The horror!
Tuesday
Canada again! This time for claiming “they would not envisage loss and damage [due to climate change impacts] being addressed as part of the objectives on adaptation. Huh? Sometimes you have to wonder what these people are thinking! A dramatic tie came up for second place – USA and Saudi Arabia for respectively saying they didn’t think compliance matters and for claiming they “are being asked to pay more than their fair share” – while oil profits are forecast to be four times higher over the next 20 years than the last 20. The gall! The cheek!
Wednesday
Midway through the week, the USA scored their first first place prize for delaying domestic climate change legislation to the point that it could not be completed before Copenhagen. Not to be outdone by their dirty, polluting neighbours, Canada scored a third prize in a row: also for delaying tactics. As recently as September, Minister Prentice was promising a full suite of regulatory policies before Copenhagen, but he announced today that it would be delayed, conveniently until after Copenhagen. This is the third announcement that the framework would be delayed – three strikes, Canada is OUT!
Thursday
Only one winner for Thursday – but it’s a big one: USA! Todd Stern, the US Special Envoy on Climate Change, seems to think that science and global warming will wait for his country to sort out which way is up and down – and publicly undermined hopes for a treaty in Copenhagen. All the shame, all the blame!
Friday
Drama ensued on Friday’s giant award: The Colossal Fossil. Not due to the (predictable) winner, CANADA as usual, but because Environment Minister Prentice slandered the good name of the Fossil of the Day awards themselves, claiming that “if the price of having strong, capable, tough negotiators at the table is being singled out and given ‘Fossil of the Year’ awards, then so be it. Bring it on.” Presenter Anna Keenan brought it on, and threatened Canada with much more than just awards…
So there we have it! Will the almighty Fossil of the Day awards throw down and have deliveries at Canadian Embassies around the world during COP15? Join the local deliveries group, and be a part of the movement!