Prime Minister Mark Carney joined the leaders of Germany, France, Japan, and Denmark in absentia at the UN Climate Conference in Turkey—and promptly earned a satirical “fossil of the day” award for skipping the summit.
Climate Action Network International handed out the dubious honor to the missing delegations. For Canada, the award marks a steep decline for a country that previously took home the title last year at the UN Climate Conference in Brazil, eroding its former reputation as a global climate leader.
Environment Minister Julie Dabrusin is representing the nation during the first week of the summit.
Since taking office, Carney has systematically dismantled policies enacted by former prime minister Justin Trudeau. The sweeping rollbacks include scrapping the consumer carbon tax, an electric vehicle sales mandate, and an emissions cap on oil and gas production.
Meanwhile, New Zealand secured its own “fossil of the day” award on the opening day of the COP31 climate conference in Antalya, Türkiye, according to RNZ reporting.
The NGO cited New Zealand for actively dismantling its climate commitments, marking the fifth time in six years the country has received the award.
Climate Action Network International stated that New Zealand has gutted methane targets, let agricultural polluters off the hook, and changed the law to shield corporations from climate litigation over the past three years.
Bianca Ranson, a climate activist representing the network, accepted the award on behalf of New Zealand after her father launched a legal challenge against major corporate emitters.
“This government has placed the interests of corporate polluters and profit above its international climate commitments,” Bianca Ranson, a climate activist representing the network, said.
Teall Crossen of WWF-New Zealand called the ongoing recognition embarrassing for a nation that once positioned itself at the forefront of international climate ambition.
“As countries come together to try and find climate solutions, Aotearoa is standing out for all the wrong reasons with its appalling climate backsliding and continued reliance on fossil fuels,” WWF-New Zealand spokesperson Teall Crossen said.
A spokesperson for caretaker climate minister Simon Watts maintained that the minister expects a constructive summit focused on innovation, technology, and reinforcing Pacific leadership on climate resilience.
