Saudi Arabia's climate stance mocked by green groups

NUSA DUA, Indonesia (AFP) — Saudi Arabia again received a drubbing from green groups on Wednesday who labelled the oil-rich nation "fossil of the day" at UN climate talks for its stance on global warming.

Ben Wikler, from green group Avaaz, said they chose Saudi Arabia for the gong -- given out every day at a key climate conference underway in Bali, Indonesia -- for "complaining about an unfair focus on carbon."

It was Saudi Arabia's second time it received the dubious accolade, handed out by youth members from environmental action groups attending the conference.

Crowds gather each day to boo the countries who win the gongs, which consist of a small bag of coal flying the shamed country's flag.

Japan was on Tuesday a double-winner of the award -- which aims to use humour to highlight key issues at the talks -- for apparently backing away from from mandatory greenhouse gas emissions cuts.

Nearly 190 countries have gathered at a UN meeting in Bali, where they aim to negotiate a new regime to combat global warming when the current phase of the Kyoto Protocol, a landmark agreement on climate change, ends in 2012.

Saudi Arabia is the world's largest producer of oil, one of the fossil fuels which when burned produces gasses including carbon dioxide, which contributes to global warming.