Regulate Carbon—and Trade—to Attack Global Warming

By James Parks

Environmental protections in trade deals have been a key concern of working people the world over. But the issue of global warming makes the need for such protections more urgent, says United Steelworkers (USW) President Leo Gerard.

Speaking to the North American Labor Conference on Climate Crisis at Cornell University, Gerard said yesterday that more stringent regulation of carbon emissions and trade is essential for addressing the global climate crisis. Said Gerard:

Global warming has transformed the issue of pollution into the ultimate health and safety issue.

Labor, environmental and human rights standards are at the core of our vision for making the global economy work for workers. They should become the new gold standard for how nations trade with each other.