Read this article in:
20 May, 2011The United Nations Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is to hold its 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) in Durban, South Africa from 28 November to 9 December 2011. This is a government negotiations space where there is limited room for engagement by civil society. However, civil society and organised labour is working hard to raise awareness on climate change issues and ensure that their voices are heard not only at COP 17 but at the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development in 2012. The 2012 conference is known as Rio+20, as it is to take place 20 years after the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio where the concept of sustainable development was adopted by governments for the first time and which launched key political processes on sustainable development like the COP climate negotiations.
South Africa: The Madrid Climate Dialogue, an international trade union leaders meeting with the UN Panel on Sustainability in April this year, called for decisive and ambitious climate action in the lead-up to the Durban climate summit at the end of this year, and the "RIO+20" meeting in 2012.
"The current economic model is heading us towards more crises, unemployment and environmental degradation", said Zwelizima Vavi, General Secretary of the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU). "If we are serious about addressing the vulnerability of poor workers and communities, RIO+20 needs to shift from piecemeal commitments and deliver a universal social protection floor, which will ensure dignified livelihoods for all. The climate negotiations in Durban must support this effort through the protection of the poorest from a climate perspective: with ambition in terms of emission reductions and climate finance".
One of the main issues concerning labour is that changes towards sustainable consumption and production patterns can bring opportunities for decent and green jobs and better livelihoods but there also exists a real threat to jobs in sectors that would need to be transformed to lower their carbon footprint.
In addressing climate change, the International Metalworkers Federation (IMF) has stood with other global federations and the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) to advocate, among other things, a "just transition" seeking protection for workers in sectors that would be negatively affected. Workers and communities affected need adequate social protection and access to new opportunities. In addition, "just transition will require active labour market policies, income protection, retraining, awareness and capacity building for employers and trade unions, and investments at the local level in order to diversify the economy and create alternative income opportunities.
At last years climate change negotiations, COP 16 held in Cancun Mexico, organised labour successfully lobbied for the inclusion of the concept of "just transition" setting an important precedent that has already had positive impact for the inclusion of worker related issues in subsequent negotiations, policy papers and programme development.
Earlier this year the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) produced a report 'Towards a Green Economy: Pathways to Sustainable Development and Poverty Eradication' which defines global challenges on climate change and promotes decision making that will bring about a greener future. The International Labour Organisation (ILO) collaborated in the development of the report to strengthen the analysis of the implications on the labour market of setting and achieving environmental goals.
In a background note on the report, the ILO states "The structural transformation brings along changes in employment patterns and skills requirements, along with new business opportunities and the need for responsible management practices. It may also cause the contraction of sectors and enterprises which are incompatible with long term sustainable development. The management of this change needs to be fair and must ensure sufficient protection and access to alternative for those negatively affected." The ILO states the need for a "just transition" framework to ensure decent work remains central in the construction of a fairer, greener and more sustainable globalisation.
Organised labour is working hard to incorporate worker issues in global efforts on sustainable development. At the end of March 2011, a trade union delegation met with South African President Jacob Zuma. Included in the delegation was ITUC General Secretary, Sharan Burrow and President Sdumo Dlamini and General Secretary Zwelinzima Vavi of COSATU. In the meeting, labour representatives requested President Zuma to use South Africa's position in COP 17, UN High-Level Panel on Global Sustainability and the G20 to ensure that issues affecting workers are part of the agenda in the three forums. Issues of concern that were discussed included job creation, social protection, unemployment, health insurance, education, green jobs, green economy, sanitation as well as housing.