Acknowledging the 40% cut in greenhouse gas emissions agreed by the EU at its October Summit as “a decent effort” and sending a positive signal for international climate talks, the ETUC regrets that the unambitious renewable energy and energy efficiency targets will not generate investment and create jobs in Europe: /press/etuc-comment-european-council%e2%80%99s-climate-deal
Just before the crucial EU summit on climate and energy targets the ETUC adopted a far-reaching resolution calling for
- EU targets of 40% greenhouse gas emission reductions, 30% renewables, 40% energy efficiency – with national targets
- the EU Commission to come forward with specific proposals to address the social impact of its de-carbonisation strategy for regions and sectors where the benefits of a low-carbon economy are more difficult to secure
- the low-carbon transition in Europe to become a genuine industrial project with greater mobilisation of the EU budget and financial instruments to support low-carbon innovation via research and development, and demonstration projects
ETUC Position - The ‘Energy-Climate’ package in Europe for 2020-2030: the ETUC’s priorities for a Just Transition : /documents/%e2%80%98energy-climate%e2%80%99-package-europe-2020-2030-etuc%e2%80%99s-priorities-just-transition
Trade union leaders from all over Europe also highlighted the importance of ambitious EU climate action in a photo action ‘no jobs on a dead planet’ .
Trade union leaders taking part included:
Bernadette Ségol (ETUC)
Ignacio Fernández Toxo and Candido Mendez, (CCOO & UGT, Spain)
Marie-Hélène Ska & Olivier Valentin (CSC-ACV, ACVLB-CGSLB, Belgium)
Josef Stredula (CMKOS, Czech Republic)
Plamen Dimitrov (CITUB, Bulgaria)
Jozef Kollar ( KOZ-Sr, Slovakia)
Eva Nordmark, Göran Arrius and Tobias Baudin (TCO, Saco & LO, Sweden)
Bente Sorgenfrey (FTF, Danemark)
David Begg (ICTU, Ireland)
Tony Zarb (GWU, Malta)
ETUC climate action- Photos: https://www.flickr.com/photos/etuc-ces/sets/72157648370930738/
“Climate change poses an existential challenge to humanity” said Bernadette Ségol, ETUC General Secretary. “At the same time there are enormous job opportunities arising from investment in energy infrastructure, renewable energy and energy efficiency.”
“As trade unionists we want ambitious climate and energy targets with a just transition for workers and their communities to a low-carbon economy. The positive and negative job impacts have to be managed fairly, and workers must not be left behind by technological change.”