Home > News > 2008 > News Release

For release: December 5, 2008

Canada Shamed by Fossil Awards at UN Climate Conference

Poznan, Poland - Public interest groups from around the world at the United Nations climate change talks gave an unprecedented four “Fossil of the Day” awards to Canada yesterday for its failure to take global warming seriously. The awards of shame came as the Harper government delayed a non-confidence vote that would have defeated it.

Canada won the first place fossil award for failing to take a position on reducing greenhouse gas emissions at a working group meeting during the negotiations. It was tied for this award with Japan and Russia. All three countries failed to propose deep 2020 reduction targets for industrialized countries based on 1990 levels.

Canada’s 2020 target is based on 2006 levels, rather than the internationally agreed to 1990 base year and won’t even meet its Kyoto 2012 commitment. “Beating climate change with a target like Canada’s is like trying to play hockey with a toothpick,” said Dave Martin of Greenpeace Canada “Canada has not even mentioned its target at the conference – it would be too embarrassing.”

Canada took a second fossil award for arguing that its emission target should be reduced due to exporting fossil fuels. “Canada has argued that the tar sands, the world’s dirtiest oil, should be excluded from emission targets. This makes a mockery of efforts to fight global warming,” stated Graham Saul of Climate Action Network Canada.

Canada took a third fossil award for suggesting “welfare loss” as a justification for rich countries having weaker emission reduction targets. “When Canada talks about ‘welfare loss’, it means using smaller cars – not the real suffering experienced by vulnerable peoples such as famines, floods, fires, or losing entire countries to rising sea levels,” said Stephen Guibeault, Équiterre.

The fourth fossil award went to Canada for suggesting that “national circumstances” are the reason for Canada being almost 30 per cent above its Kyoto target. Specifically, Canada cited its cold climate and large size as two reasons for its failure to reduce emissions. “These tired excuses are just plain wrong. Emission targets are set relative to historical levels. Canada has not become any bigger since 1990, and far from getting colder, has become warmer due to climate change,” said Christel Hyshka of the Canadian Youth Delegation.

- 30 -