Week 2 COP26 starts with Fossil awards to UK and Saudi Arabia, Mexico, and Czech Republic

Host country the United Kingdon gets a fossil award for rushing the new Work Programme on Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE), and Saudi Arabia for blocking any mention of human rights in the ACE text. Worst of the worst. Mexico and Czech Republic bring up 2nd and 3rd place on Monday's Fossil of the Day stakes.

Fossil Fuel Lobby the largest delegation at UN climate talks COP26

File photo from COP21

So at the UN climate Change conference in Glasgow you might think it is swamped by all these activists calling for increased climate action. But within the corridors of the UNFCCC, mixing with Party delegations, are over 500 fossil fuel executives and lobbyists.

Yes, that's right, over 500.

Much higher than any one party delegation.

Dwarfing the UNFCCC’s official indigenous constituency by around two to one.

We know the Australian pavillion wasn't featuring indigenous knowledge for savannah burning or fire management to help control the more intense mega-fires Australia will be experiencing from now on due in part to Australia's coal and gas, but instead had Gas company Santos spruiking investment in the Moomba project with Carbon Capture and Storage as a costly solution. 

The Promises Gap of Net Zero by 2050 Honest Government Ad

Half way through the UN Climate conference COP26 meeting in Glasgow, Juice Media highlight the Promises Gap of Net Zero by 2050. Features a cameo of Greta Thunberg.

Its a wrap: Australians support climate action - Financial Times Wrap for Nov 6 for #COP26

On October 11 Australian Ethical Investment called for members to add their names for a wrap around ad in the Financial Times.

I was one of those people who volunteered for my name to feature.

Melbourne joins Global Day of action #COP26 - Moreland Climate CUP and XR Funeral for Koalas

In Melbourne the Moreland Climate Coalition held three covidsafe events in Moreland on Saturday, with other climate protests in the city and at St Kilda, as part of the Global day of action called by the COP26 Coalition in Glasgow.

This included calling the Moreland Climate CUP, the Race to Zero Emissions. Sunlight streaked ahead out of the gates from a slow start. Old King Coal sadly had to retire and be be put down. Of course we'll find a new job for the Old King Coal jockey. That is a matter of Just Transition.

Greta Thunberg calls COP a "two-week long celebration of business as usual, and blah, blah, blah." at Fridays for Future rally

An estimated 25,000 people joined a Fridays for Future protest in Glasgow on Friday November 5. People from all ages, but especially youth and students.

Greta Thunberg marched with the crowd and made a speech to the Fridays for Future Rally on November 5 in which she argued those leaders inside the COP were just engaged in Greenwashing, that it is largely a PR event, a "two-week long celebration of business as usual, and blah, blah, blah."

"The people in power can continue to live in their bubble filled with ... fantasies like eternal growth on a finite planet and technological solutions that will suddenly appear seemingly out of nowhere and will erase all of these crises just like that," she said. "Leaders are not leading."

Australia scores Fossil award for new offshore oil exploration, Brazil for bullying indigenous people | Day 5 of COP26

Brazil and Australia won Fossil awards today. 

Brazil for intimidation and bullying of indigenous people speaking out. 

The Fossil award for Australia is for opening up 10 new areas for offshore oil exploration in Western Australia, Northern Territory and Victoria. 

So this Fossil award is earned by Minister for Resources Keith Pitt. His announcement came on Energy Day at COP while commitments were being made to stop financing new fossil fuel projects, countries signing to phase out coal and launch of the methane pledge,

Taxpayers are already footing the bill for the Northern Endeavour oil rig retirement in the Timor Sea due to a loophole in the regulatory system revealed in 2020. The failure to close this loophole raises significant concerns about Exxon and its 23-strong fleet of offshore platforms and installations in the Bass Strait. If the Northern Endeavour situation were to be repeated with Exxon, Australian taxpayers are potentially up for a $4.6 billion clean-up fee.

Earlier this year, Bass Strait partners ExxonMobil and BHP were ordered to plug 180 wells, dismantle ten platforms and tackle life-threatening corrosion after intervention by offshore safety regulator NOPSEMA, according to Boiling Cold report in May..

Transforming Australia: from laggard to leader - Australian Civil society side event at COP26

"Australia has a very real opportunity to benefit socially, environmentally and economically from increasing its climate ambition and becoming a clean energy superpower. Yet despite claims from the Australian Government that it is beating Paris targets, evidence shows Australia’s energy emissions are on the rise and gas and coal production increasing."

"Australians from every sector of the economy and society – First Nations, finance and faith, cities and states, business big and small, agriculture, resources and energy, health and social service, unions, think tanks, civil society organisations, and higher education – are already acting on climate change, and are calling on the Australian Government to join them in rising to the challenge and opportunities that a zero emissions future presents."

"This event will explore ways in which Better Futures Australia members and our partners can work with the Australian Government to drive momentum behind a plan to reduce emissions this decade. Speakers will examine the diverse climate action being taken by individuals and organisations that are lowering costs and catalysing greater ambition across society and the economy, highlighting opportunities to transform Australia from a climate laggard to a leader."

The Australian climate billboards in Glasgow for COP26

Dan Ilic launched a crowd funding campaign in September to raise $12,500 to pay for a climate billboard in Glasgow. He reached that goal in under 3 hours. He ended up raising over $227,000 . 

A suite of billboard signs were Featured for 10 minutes at Times Square in New York. Money is also being spent on billboards in the leadup to the Australian election.

Three designs are featured on three billboards around Glasgow for the two weeks of the UN Climate Conference, just to inject some humour and let the locals and conference delegates know how on the nose Australia's climate policies actually are back home in Australia.

Poland pledge to delay quiting coal wins Fossil Award at COP26 on Day 4

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE DATE 04/11/21, Glasgow, Scotland

The Polish Government awarded Fossil of the Day for walking a very crooked line. It appears that the Polish government isn't exactly telling the truth about their pledge to quit coal.

Now if you’re sitting comfortably we’ll begin this sorry tale of coal addiction: