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Day one of Barcelona climate negotiations and Canada has already won a Fossil of the Day award

*Drumroll please,* and the winner is… Canada. Again.

Climate Action Network International issues Fossil of the Day awards to countries who are judged by vote of the global Climate Action Network International, to have performed ‘best’ at blocking progress in the negotiations.

Here’s why Canada received second place in Day one of the Barcelona climate negotiations (read CAN’s press release here):

Canada received the second-place Fossil of the Day award for its environment minister’s statement that it would be “irresponsible” for Canada to meet a -25% emission reduction target by 2020 – below the latest scientific recommendations.

The minister’s comments were in response to an economic modeling study that showed that Canada can significantly reduce emissions while maintaining healthy economic growth. The study found that real reductions would reduce Canada’s annual growth rate in the short term from 2.4 % to 2.1% annually.

Dale Marshall of the David Suzuki Foundation stated that “for the minister, apparently this is too much to invest in avoiding dangerous climate change and the economic damage that goes with it.” “The minister was particularly worried about the economic impact on the oil industry in his home province of Alberta, but the study actually showed that Alberta would still be the country’s fastest growing province.”