The second week of the United Nations climate change negotiations began with more Fossil of the Day Awards. December 5 saw Russia and New Zealand take a rare joint first placing, with Saudi Arabia earning second place and the United States third.

Durban climate talk delegates take a rest ourdoors.[China.org.cn]

Russia and New Zealand took joint first place for their desire to benefit from a continuation of the Kyoto Protocol without being bound to it. In Russia's case, this means opposing the second commitment period of the protocol whilst at the same time attempting to carry over its hot air emissions credits into that same second commitment period. It's hard to see how they would make that work.

Meanwhile, New Zealand has acted inconsistently throughout the Kyoto Protocol negotiations.

It has insisted that it could not constitutionally agree to a provisional implementation of a second commitment period, despite having an internal policy which states otherwise.

Saudi Arabia earned second place for continuing to insist that it should be compensated for oil revenue losses in the wake of global action on climate change. These so-called "response measures" always seem to guarantee the same response from Saudi Arabia when it comes to taking action on climate change.

The United States took third place by, as usual, not doing very much.

The United States is trying to stop progress in Durban and is succeeding in catalyzing a movement against them as they delay, obstruct, and sabotage good faith efforts toward a deal.

About The Fossil of the Day Awards

The Fossil of the Day Awards were first presented at the climate talks in 1999, in Bonn, initiated by the German NGO Forum. During UN climate talks, CAN members vote daily for the countries judged to have done their 'best' to block progress in that day's negotiations.

(Source: climatenetwork.org)