The G7 nations, including Japan, have been awarded the first ‘Fossil of the Day’ Award at the COP29 climate talks in Baku, Azerbaijan for dodging, skirting, and running away from their fiscal responsibility to pay up for their growing climate finance debt.
Masayoshi Iyoda, 350.org Japan Campaigner says:
“The fact that the first Fossil of the Day Award at COP29 goes to G7 countries, including Japan, highlights the failure of the world’s richest and industrialized countries to fulfill their responsibilities in combating the climate crisis and showing true climate leadership.
Despite Japan holding a great deal of responsibility, it has played a huge role in delaying G7-wide efforts towards climate action at recent G7 summits, for example, by opposing an agreement on a deadline for the phaseout of coal-fired power generation.
Japan must develop an ambitious and 1.5-aligned NDC, rather than hinder agreements on a climate finance goal. Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and Environmental Minister Keiichiro Asao must show their leadership and course-correct Japan’s climate and energy policies in light of the alarm bells from scientists that ‘Japan needs an 81% reduction from 2013 levels by 2035 to meet the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C target’.”
Notes to Editors:
The Fossil of the Day awards were first presented at the climate talks in 1999 in Bonn, initiated by the German NGO Forum. During United Nations climate change negotiations, members of the Climate Action Network (CAN), vote for countries judged to have done their ‘best’ to block progress in the negotiations.
Media Contact:
Ilang-Ilang Quijano
350.org Asia Communications Manager
ilang.quijano@350.org
+63 9175810934
*Masayoshi Iyoda (350.org Japan) is on-site at COP29 in Baku and available for interviews.