New Zealand labelled a ‘fossil’ for backing delays
Climate activists have awarded New Zealand the ‘Fossil of the Day’ title, designed to shame countries that stymie progress at global climate talks.
The mounting repair bill for the damage caused by climate change-fuelled extreme weather is a hot topic at this year’s talks, COP27.
Developing countries, which have contributed little to the emissions problem, say wealthy nations should help pay for the cleanup. Their negotiators want to establish a central ‘‘loss and damage’’ fund, to take rich countries’ payments and distribute them to nations in need.
While the Government pledged $20 million for loss and damage, it has also supported a call by other developed countries for negotiations to carry on for two more years on creating a central loss and damage fund. Climate Action Network activists describe this as an ‘‘about-face’’.
Climate Action Network typically announces its fossil award daily during the annual COP summits.
Compensation and liability are key sticking points for the United States and others. The US and the EU – and, on a per-capita basis, New Zealand – have comparatively large historical emissions. Developed countries could face huge reparation bills if they agreed historical emitters were liable for current and future climate damage.
But if liability wasn’t in the equation, players might consider a central fund – or series of funding tools – where cash for loss and damage could be provided to climate-hit communities.
The EU bloc, representing 27 European nations, said it’s open to ‘‘launch[ing] a process’’ on funding for loss and damage. But it’s in no hurry, envisioning the process will take until 2024.
The UK echoed the call for two more years of discussion on loss and damage funding, with the final decision on to be made at COP29, to be held in 2024.
In a similar statement at a pivotal point in the debate, New Zealand backed the Brits’ suggestion.
Last week, when the Government announced $20m for unavoidable climate loss, Climate Action Network said the payment made Aotearoa ‘‘a true climate leader’’. But the Government’s support for two further years of discussion was ‘‘a shameful about-face exposing their true allegiances,’’ the advocacy group said.
Oxfam’s Nick Henry thought the award was ‘‘deserved’’. New Zealand ‘‘is one of several rich countries standing in the way’’ of progress on loss and damage.
Groups of countries – including a bloc of Pacific nations – had drafted ideas for how a central fund could work. ‘‘A global fund is about equity and justice, and getting the money that’s needed where it’s needed – fast.’’