Turkey is 'Fossil of the Day' in Doha

ISTANBUL

AFP photo

Turkey has been given the title "Fossil of the Day" on the second day (Nov. 28) of the United Nations climate change talks in Doha, private broadcaster NTV has reported. The award is given to countries that have not taken sufficient steps to tackle climate change.

"We've given the award to Turkey because it is the fourth largest country in the world in terms of coal mines. What's more, its Energy Ministry announced 2012 as 'coal year.' Turkey has still not announced a target reduction of greenhouse gases, as is determined in the Kyoto Protocol. So, the 'Fossil of the Day' award has been given to it," a climate activist at the talks said.

The 18th U.N. Climate Change Conference, which has gathered 200 world nations in Doha, will last two weeks. It comes amid a welter of reports warning that extreme weather events like superstorm Sandy may become commonplace if mitigation efforts fail, Reuters news agency reported.