Monthly Archives: December 2009
Four out of 10 jobs are carbon intensive says ILO
Nearly 40 per cent of all jobs worldwide are in highly carbon intensive sectors, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) has said. The UN body says its contribution to the UN climate change conference in Copenhagen will be to draw attention to the value of “green jobs”. ILO with other UN agencies can contribute among others […]
Big, green and with blood on its hands
Top US retailer Kohl’s is really, really proud of its award-winning environmental credentials. It has a whole website devoted to “Kohl’s green scene”, and it sees being retail’s green giant as a reflection of its corporate responsibility. But workers around the world regret the firm has not been so diligent when it comes to sorting out […]
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged Dole, International Labor Rights Forum (ILRF), Kohl's, Kraft, Nestle Comments closed
Clean energy set to be third largest industry
Clean energy technology is on track to become the third largest industrial sector globally with a rapidly increasing share taken up by China, a report from global conservation organisation WWF has predicted. Clean Economy, living Planet – Building strong clean energy technology industries, released today at the UN climate summit in Copenhagen, is a first […]
Poor countries reject “suicide pact”
A leaked draft agreement formulated by key wealthy nations shows that rich countries aren’t being honest brokers at Copenhagen, negotiators for the world’s most vulnerable nations say. Concrete requirements on governments are few, those that do appear are weak and the document does not mention “just transition”, a key trade union social justice demand supported […]
Green smart meter plan needs to be safe
UK government plans to introduce “smart meters” to homes nationwide as an energy saving measure must take account of safety and other concerns about rogue contractors, the union GMB has said. The GMB call comes a week after the Australian government had to clampdown on “shonky” contractors after a series of deaths in young workers […]
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Unions put the case for climate justice
Leaders of world trade unions are calling on political leaders gathered in Copenhagen to invest in jobs and develop a green economic policy to tackle climate change. Introducing ‘Green growth for jobs and social justice’, Anita Normark, chair of the Council of Global Unions (CGU) and general secretary of the Building and Wood Workers International, […]
Support grows for just transition
A union-initiated proposal to get a ‘just transition’ clause in the text of any agreement at the Copenhagen climate change summit is attracting support. The measure aims to make sure sunsetting dirty industries doesn’t decimate industrial communities and replace an environment crisis with an economic crisis. Global union confederation ITUC had already secured inclusion of […]
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged Argentina, European Union, ITUC, just transition, Norway Comments closed
Global unions warn against a negative climate
The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) has called again on governments “to take urgent and necessary measures” to deliver a low-carbon future. ‘Trade unions and climate change – Equity, justice and solidarity in the fight against climate change’, the ITUC statement to the summit, sets out the international trade union movement’s position, emphasising the need […]
For Bangladesh, there’s no more time for talk
In Bangladesh, where much of the country’s population lives at sea level on the flood-prone alluvial plains of major rivers flowing from the Himalayas, a lengthy discourse about the impact of climate change can seem a little indulgent. On 5 December, 240 Bangladeshi workers representing the country’s national union centres formed a “workers’ chain” in […]
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged Bangladesh, Bangladesh Occupational Safety, Health and Environment Foundation (OSHE) Comments closed
“Make or break” for climate talks, say unions