Fossil Awards to Egypt for a weak cover text and Israel for greenwashing

The Fossil awards on Solutions Day go to not one, but two countries.

Both Egypt and Israel were nominated for being the worst today. Egypt for its extremely weak first drafts of the Cover text: the decision of the COP. While Fossil of the Day Ceremony was ocurring, COP27 Presidency and UN Secretary General were reading the 'riot Act' to negotiators with so many areas left unresolved. BUT Egypt is responsible for pulling together the COP cover text and the current version is very weak. See Early Draft Cop27 cover decision fails to call for ‘phase-down’ of all fossil fuels (The Guardian)

Israel has it's first pavillion at COP, and while addressing water scarcity and adaptive agriculture is important, the elephant in the room is the human rights abuses to the Palestinian people. Greenwashing by Israel at their pavillion needs to be called out. Their is no climate justice without human rights.

Read the full press release here:

On Decarbonisation Day - #Fossiloftheday Bonanza! US, Russia, Egypt and UAE refuse to decarbonise - fossils run in their veins

The Egyptian Presidency had allocated today, November 11, as Decarbonization Day. But really it turned out to be a Fossil of the day Bonanza. So many countries won a Fossil award today: USA, Russia, Egypt and United Arab Emirates. Read on...

I know from attending online the Advamcing the Global Methane Pledge, which included the CEO of Total Energies, gas was being marketed as a transition fuel to be used for decades and the Global Methane Pledge an excuse to seek financial subsidies to do what these companies already should be doing.

Egypt wins Fossil of the Day award for no protesters allowed but a warm welcome to a record number of fossil fuel lobbyists

No surprise that Egypt wins a Fossil award, the second award at this COP. 

Suppression of human rights and prevention of Egyption civil society in participating has been highlighted in the lead up to this conference. Read the Human Rights Watch report on how Egypt has undermined environmental activism and the UN Human Rights (UNHR) news item  - Egypt: UN experts alarmed by restrictions on civil society ahead of climate summit. 

Or take note of Fossil Fuel Polluters/Lobbyists taking over the COP. An analysis of registrations found 636 fossil fuel lobbyists have been registered to the COP27 climate talks, affiliated with some of the world's biggest polluting oil and gas giants. This is an increase of over 25% from COP26 says a Global Witness analysis

Or refer to the civil society intervention in the opening plenary. There can be no climate Justice without Human rights.

No climate Justice without Human rights - Intervention by Tasneem Essop during the COP27 Opening Plenary

Egypt is one of the most repressive nations in the middle east and human rights is an enormous issue. 

Tasneem Essop, Exective Director of CAN International chose in her 1 minute intervention at the opening plenary of the UN climate Change Conference COP27 to shine a spotlight on repression in Egypt, and that there is no climate justice without human rights.

I understand Egypt's President Abdelfattah El  Sisi squirmed a little in his seat during this speech.

Egypt wins Fossil Award for being dead set on no-ambition strategy in Talanoa

Well today's Fossil Award came from the leftfield.

But on some days the least expected step up to be the worst, who does the most to be the least, and who tries their hardest to make sure we don't get fair justice and a binding climate deal.

Egypt, the land of the pyramids, this day is yours for Fossil of the Day, for being dead set against ambition in Talanoa.

Here be the award commendation for today: