A group representing environmental NGOs from around the world on Wednesday named the United States and Japan joint recipients of its "Fossil of the Day" award, bestowed on countries considered uncooperative toward reducing global warming.
The Climate Action Network said the United States is insisting upon removing a portion of text concerning measures to deal with the "loss and damage" brought by a natural disaster from the draft of a statement to be decided in the ongoing 12-day U.N. conference on climate change.
It also said Japan has been selected for providing support to the cause of the United States, after separately receiving the dubious honor on Dec. 2 for its assistance in building a coal-fired power plant in Indonesia.
Germany, Peru and Colombia were presented with "Ray of the Day" award for their cooperation.
The 20th session of the Conference of the Parties to the U.N. Framework on Climate Change, or COP20, where participants are discussing elements that will comprise the new framework in 2020, will be completed Friday.