Malaysia and Australia were today declared joint winners of the 2004 Champion Assassin of Life on Earth Award by Greenpeace.

The award is for countries who have done the most to weaken the outcome of the UN Summit for Life on Earth and end biodiversity, said Greenpeace in a statement.

The inauspicious trophy is in the shape of a lifelike model of planet earth with a large axe buried in it.

"After the end of discussions and dialogue at 3am, two countries surfaced as the most deserving of the award," the statement said.

"Malaysia and Australia had done so much to undermine the effectiveness of the Convention for Biological Diversity (CBD) that we could only give the award to both," said Greenpeace's Martin Kaiser.

Urgent implementation

Malaysia and Australia were nominated on various grounds, including providing a draft ministerial statement without substance and for insisting on introducing trade issues on the CBD.

"The final agreement of this meeting must be to begin avoiding the loss of plants and animals around the world, but urgent national implementation is needed to save life on earth.

"We hope this award encourages Malaysia and Australia to perform to a higher standard in their implementation of this agreement," added Kaiser.

According to Greenpeace, two of its ships - the Rainbow Warrior and the Arctic Sunrise - are currently touring parts of the most pristine forest regions facing the threat of species extinction in Indonesia and Chile.