Fossil of the Day 09 December 2019
Today we have a special star for Fossil of the Day! The United States (US) managed to get its name on three fossil awards in one day! This country is really making its best effort to be the worst for future generations and vulnerable communities worldwide.
The US is doing great at getting its name down in history as the frontrunner in destroying planet Earth. Is it possible that it is hiding a Planet B somewhere, or is it just enjoying leading the world peeps to mass suicide?!
Fossil 1:
Today, we award the first fossil to the US for insisting on staying in the process just to block money, while refusing to pay its fair share for causing all the loss and damage so painfully felt by poor and vulnerable people worldwide through droughts, heatwaves, hurricanes, fires and other extreme weather events.
We’re here in the halls of power, and the table is set. Despite leaving the Paris Agreement, the US is inviting itself to have a seat at the table, while making it clear they have no intention of paying the bill. The US is trying to bully other countries into letting them stay on the board of the loss and damage Executive Committee, a core institution in the Paris Accord.
Meanwhile, Southern Africa faces its worst drought in 35 years. Eleven million people are facing climate induced starvation.
But what is the US even doing here at the table – it did boast about leaving the Paris Accord, didn't it? They have been leading a pack of blockers, part of the “rich boys club.” If these countries follow the US example, they’ll be forcing those hardest impacted to foot the bill. To that we say: “If you are going to leave, then you get out of the way…"
Fossil 2:
The second fossil of the day award goes to the US and Australia for withholding their pledges to the Green Climate Fund (GCF)
Back in November, a handful of countries doubled their contributions to the GCF, but guess what? Most contributor countries were not up to the challenge. Two of them even forgot their responsibility to provide adequate and sufficient funding for poor countries: the US and Australia simply decided to turn their back and withhold their pledges, snubbing all the scientists and people in the streets who are sounding the alarm on the climate emergency.
Other countries, including Canada, Japan, Switzerland, Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, Austria, and Portugal, so far have not delivered double the dough or paid for the pollution they created! (We’re looking for countries to at least double their first GCF contribution, in line with their fair share). So will ministers arrive to the party empty-handed tomorrow? What manners, soiled with dirty fossil fuels! Or will they come up with the goods, and top-up?
As a reminder, ambitious GCF contributions are key to support vulnerable communities adapting to climate change, and to create the right conditions for enhanced ambition in 2020.
Fossil 3:
The third fossil of the day goes out to the US and Canada!
Hey Canada! You put a good show with your progressive positions, pushing for human and Indigenous rights here at COP25, all while violating these same rights back home! Yes you, fingers are pointed at you, for recklessly approving fossil fuel infrastructure projects that are not in line with the Paris Agreement, such as the TMX pipeline.
US friends, of course, are completely out of tune with science and are moving ahead with dirty projects such as fracking in the Permian Basin. No wonder you were called out as the worst countries in the Production Gap Report.
In the age of climate emergency, the US and Canada need to keep fossil fuels in the ground and respect Indigenous rights and sovereignty. This includes for Canada rejecting the Teck Frontier Mine, the largest tar sands surface mine ever proposed.
Ray of the Day
Hey, Danish parliament, wow! Now that´s what we can call climate leadership. They agreed on a Climate Law that is binding for current and future governments, and is in line with the 1.5°C temperature limit. Basically, Denmark turned science into law!
This law is really cool – it encourages global cooperation, and enables Denmark to be a climate leader at the international level and deliver on commitments.
The story is not finished yet. Denmark set the target of reducing GHG emissions by 70% in 2030. Denmark agreed not to play the game of carbon trade to ensure complete environmental integrity.
Each sector is targeted with a strategy, including agriculture, transport and construction. These strategies are set annually in a “Climate Action Plan” based on an independent climate council, which will monitor to ensure that targets are being met through action. The Minister of Climate has a duty to act on Climate Council recommendations.
Denmark, thank you for setting a great example to follow!