Australia, Saudis Want Part Of Climate Adaptation Funds Meant For Poor Nations - AFP

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Australia and Saudi Arabia have taken the early lead in an unofficial contest for the dubious distinction of committing the worst gaffes at a UN climate conference here. Australia, for claiming it is as vulnerable to global warming as Africa and the Pacific, and Saudi Arabia, for demanding access to climate change relief funds, won the top two spots Thursday in the first "Fossil of the Day" awards run by an unofficial conference newsletter.

As delegates from 189 nations gathered for the fourth day of the conference, environmentalists gave first place to Canberra, whose delegation on Monday said the wealthy country was on par with some of the world's most impoverished. "Given that Australia is a developed country that has funds (the comparison) is not appropriate," said Julie-Anne Richards of the Climate Action Network that publishes the newsletter, "ECO." "I would really hope that the Australian delegation would take note and become more constructive," said Richards, herself an Australian.

"Fossil of the Day," which made its debut in Thursday's edition of ECO, attempts to shame countries for outlandish claims and unreasonable demands made at the 12th UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. As such, oil-rich Saudi Arabia finished a narrow second to Australia for demanding equal treatment in the so-called "Adaptation Fund" set up by the Kyoto Protocol to help poor countries cope with the effects of global warming.

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Saudi Arabia reappeared in Tuesday's standing, tying for third place with Kuwait for urging the conference to drop discussions on including aviation and maritime emissions in the Kyoto reduction scheme, ECO said.

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http://www.terradaily.com/reports/Australia_Saudi_Take_Early_Lead_For_Gaffes_At_UN_Climate_Parley_999.html