Climate change, employment, UNFCCC and trade unions

Climate change Consequence of human-driven concentrations of greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere, mainly from burning fossil fuels (coal, oil, gas), forest loss and agriculture methods (release methane) Long lived nature of emissions lead to concentrations during long periods (hundreds of years for CO2 for ex) Depending on concentrations, scientists calculate potential for temperature increase

Where are emissions coming from?

Changes in climate already happening Global average temperatures have already increased by 0.8°C. Current pathway is heading towards 4°C-6°C (reference: the one which enabled human beings develop and the ice age was just 5°C)… Impacts are already being witnessed: rainfall patterns, heatwaves, increased severity of weather events (floods, droughts, cyclones), all with a heavy economic and human toll.

Climate change and employment For regions at the frontlines of impacts, climate is already affecting employment. Jobs in agriculture, fisheries, tourism hardly hit, but also services and infrastructures which affect the whole economy. Hurricane Sandy (US) 150,000 workers displaced and 11,000 jobs disappeared in New Jersey alone in Cyclone Sidr (Bangladesh) adversely affected 567,000 jobs. Typhoon Hagupit (Philippines) affected around 800,000 workers.

Climate change and employment (II) The solution to the problem can not be anything else than to stop the sources of pollution. Around 7 million workers are today employed by the fossil fuel industry worldwide. And many more in indirect jobs related to the sector. Important numbers of workers are also in the forestry sector, whose sustainability is far from being on track. The challenges for employment of moving towards a zero emission economy are huge.

Climate change and employment (III) Good news is that investments aiming at supplying citizens with renewable energy, in making their homes and workplaces more energy efficient, in providing mass transit options in cities, or in using forests and water resources more sustainably generate ALL more jobs than investments in doing business as usual’.

Other important linkages Climate change also connects to other issues that are key for the union movement: Climate impacts increase inequalities Costs of recovery from disasters harm public budgets and make it difficult to fund social protection, education or other public services Some emissions are also heavy air pollutants, which cause asthma and other respiratory diseases in urban areas. Addressing both will have then positive immediate and future effects

What are unions doing At different levels, and in very different contexts, unions are joining many calling for climate justice. How? Calling on governments to set the right policies: (Renewable Energy, Energy Efficiency and Emission reduction targets; job creation targets; limits to deforestation; promotion of organic agriculture, public transit; phase out of subsidies to oil companies; moratorium on polluting projects) Promoting the implementation of Just Transition strategies (investment with DW; anticipation; social protection; skills; active labour market policies; local strategies) Calling on their companies for the right of workers to know how employers will reach a zero emission objective Promoting savings at the workplace level

Global problems need global responses Climate change is regulated by a UN Convention (UNFCCC) which almost every country in the world ratified committing to reduce emissions that caused the problem. In a protocol which entered into force in 1997 (the Kyoto Protocol) industrialised countries took commitments to reduce 5% of emissions by Since then, developed country govs, notably US have aimed at ensuring that the new commitments incorporate actions by all countries –in particular emerging economies-.

Some graphs

Some graphs II

The context of climate negotiations Most of the promises of funding, technology transfer and support have not been realised. Mistrust + power of status quo defendant Efforts to reduce emissions have been marginal. Most of reductions have been result of economic crisis, not deliberate policies. After several years of negotiations, it looks like governments will agree on a new framework for climate action in Paris in December. But ambition is far from the level needed.

What do we want, what can we expect What we are askingWhat is being proposed Urgent action before 2020 to close the emissions gap + a mechanism for increasing ambition overtime Voluntary pledges to be implemented after 2020 Clear roadmap for reaching the 100bn USD/year commitment on climate finance … Commitment from governments to secure a Just Transition with decent work opportunities for workers affected by change Mention in danger No to false solutions (geoengineering; Use of markets for handling agriculture or forestry emissions) Bad options still at the table A “soft” mechanism for assessing national actions A platform for other actors to take commitments Unless mobilisation grows at the country level, governments, in particular those the most responsible, will not feel compelled to act.

Solutions will only come from changes on the ground Unions4Climate Unions at the national, sectoral and local level hold the key for changing the political landscape on these issues By connecting climate to the issues people care about (energy, water, air pollution, food, transport…) we can weigh at the political debate at a time where we can still prevent the worst from happening

#unions4climate