Trade Union Climate Change Strategies

The Trade Union Statement to Conference of the Parties for the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP12)

By Global Unions

Just as trade unions in developed and developing nations understand the strength of collective action, we also understand the need for international solidarity with governments and partners in civil society to combat this threat.

We believe that the challenge of climate change requires extraordinary steps to engage working people and the young, as they are particularly aware of the threat it poses.

Trade Unions urge COP12 to move forward on the following policies, which are developed in this document:

�� Promote analysis, discussion and action on employment consequences of climate change policies and consequent events. A joint trade union study on employment consequences of climate change policies in Europe should be employed as a model for other regions (#A).

�� Ensure trade union participation in decision making, as the involvement of workers is essential to the sustainability of climate change policies affecting both production and consumption (#B).

�� Target workplaces as consumers of energy and other resources and generators of wastes, linking clear workplace targets for energy efficiency and waste minimization to sectoral and national carbon and waste reduction strategies (#C).

�� Encourage public investment to support a long term shift in energy policy, towards sustainable and labour-intensive energy solutions (#D).