‘Colossal Fossil’ award given to Australia for ‘epic fail’

Australia becomes ‘whipping boy’ of climate activists in final hours of the COP26 in Glasgow ... but at least they liked our coffee.

Performers from the Blue Rebels prepare to participate in a ‘funeral ceremony’ to symbolise the ‘failure’ of the COP26 process, in Glasgow. Picture: Paul Ellis/AFP

Australia has become the “whipping boy’’ of climate activists, frustrated with the progress being made in the final hours of the COP26 in Glasgow, with the country awarded the “Colossal Fossil” prize.

Negotiators have gone into overtime and debated the third draft of the cover statement from the summit on Saturday, which still includes the reference to phasing out coal and fossil fuels but watering it down with a preamble about “accelerating efforts towards” and adding a need for support towards a just transition.

It appears that countries will have to return to the next COP next November in Egypt with improved offering about how to cut emissions this decade.

Much of the last hours discussions centre around loss and damage and compensating smaller countries for the impacts of climate change.

While the US and EU are being blamed for blocking unlimited loss and damage, Australia has been attacked for hiding its positions behind others.

Australia has not spoken out in the plenary stocktake sessions where countries detail their red lines and suggest wording alterations.

Australia ‘the worst I have seen’

Bill Hare of Climate Analytics said: “The overall view of Australia is it’s the worst I have seen it in my career. It’s not exposing its position publicly but it’s clear that it doesn’t want a process next year for all countries to come back and close the emissions gap for 2030.”

However the Australian government has been very open in domestic discussions in supporting the coal mining and oil and gas industries, and looking for a transition period before other technologies provide a cost effective energy switch. Prime Minister Scott Morrison has been clear that the lights won’t go out in Australia.

Mock ceremony

But in a mock ceremony at the Glasgow summit, Australia took the dubious honour of being the “colossal fossil”, for continuing to support fossil fuels.

Every day the Climate Action Network gave out a fossil of the day, with Australia named five times in the fortnight, just ahead of the United States, castigated for their grossly inadequate levels of support for developing countries.

Activists said Australian officials had only formulated a net zero plan the days before the summit, and came to Glasgow without any improved offering on their Paris commitments to reduce carbon emissions this decade. This was an epic fail, they said.

Climate Action Network said: “Their subsequent performance has resembled parts of the Australian outback, a barren wasteland devoid of any strategy, policy or idea on fossil fuels, energy or transport,”

“(Prime Minister) Scott Morrison and his merry band of fossil fools made announcements better suited to an oil, gas and coal convention.

“We are truly speechless Australia, the only good thing about Australia being at COP is they have the best coffee at their pavilion.”