The daily awards are given out every year to countries seen as undermining progress on climate change.
WWF-New Zealand climate expert Teall Crossen is at COP31 in Türkiye, and says the award is an embarrassment for a country that once positioned itself as a climate leader.
“As countries come together to try and find climate solutions, Aotearoa is standing out for all the wrong reasons with its appalling climate backsliding and continued reliance on fossil fuels,” she says.
“At a COP where Australia is leading negotiations and Pacific priorities are taking centre stage, New Zealand is finding new ways to prolong fossil fuel dependence and let down our Pacific family.
“In the middle of a climate crisis, we’re investing in more fossil fuels, changing the law to protect polluting industries, and giving New Zealanders a misleading picture of the energy choices in front of them.
“Last month a formal complaint was made to the European Commission over New Zealand’s climate policies breaching the terms of our trade deal with the EU. Today’s news is just another blow to our international reputation.
“Winning Fossil of the Day on the opening day of COP31 sends a clear message: the world is watching and our international commitments still matter. Whoever forms the next Government needs to lift its game with a credible plan to phase out fossil fuels and make up the ground we've lost."