Nations shamed with fossil award at climate talks

MONTREAL, Quebec (Reuters) — In the environmental equivalent of name and shame, countries making what environmental groups call the silliest or most backward comments at climate change talks in Montreal are being awarded toy dump trucks filled with coal.

In a gathering where solar, wind and geothermal power are being touted as ways of saving the planet from global warming, green groups are using the fossil-of-the-day award to take the sting out of talks that aren’t making much progress.
“If someone says something pretty outrageous during the negotiations sessions, we give them a fossil,” said John Lanchbery of Birdlife International after announcing the award, which occurs at 6 p.m. at the Montreal convention center to the cheers of environmental activists.

Between 200 and 300 members of environment and development groups hold a daily catch-up meeting and vote on which countries get the awards, Lanchbery said.

On Monday, the awards went to the European Union, Japan and Australia.

Reuters