Despite the irresponsible attitude of the US government, the UN COP 23 climate conference, which is ending today in Bonn, has confirmed that climate change is a major priority for countries, cities – which are playing a leading role in implementing climate action – civil society, business organisations and trade unions, says the ETUC.
“The Paris Agreement has launched a dynamic and, even though things are not moving fast enough, the world is clearly mobilised to fight climate change and trade unions are on the frontline,” said Montserrat Mir, ETUC Confederal Secretary. “More than 100 trade unionists came to Bonn to demand a Just Transition towards a low-carbon economy that leaves no worker behind. Through their active role in the workplace or in industrial relations, trade unions are bringing the fight against climate change into the daily lives of millions of workers.
“Polish and Fijian governments must now prepare for COP 24 in Katowice in 2018. Governments must clearly commit to translating the Just Transition principles into concrete policy instruments. The ETUC therefore calls for a ‘Katowice plan of action for Just Transition’ to be adopted at COP 24.
“We welcome the agreement at COP 23 on a Gender Action Plan to promote women's role in tacking climate change, and the Fiji Presidency’s commitment to integrating gender into all the work around climate policy both nationally and internationally.”
Nevertheless, the ETUC remains concerned about the lack of ambition for the pre-2020 period, especially in power production, and the need for progress on the governance of the Paris Agreement.
The ETUC will work with its members:
- To prepare trade unions to be involved in climate policy planning (NDCs) in the context of the ETUC project on follow-up of COP 21;
- To launch a high-level political initiative on Just Transition next year in Katowice;
- To raise EU climate ambition in line with the Paris objectives;
- To press the EU to revise upwards its 2050 Roadmap;
- To urge the EU to prepare a 2050 Just Transition Roadmap to anticipate changes in the labour market;
- To prepare an EU budget capable of transforming the EU into a low-carbon region by 2050.
ETUC position on COP 23: https://www.etuc.org/documents/etuc-resolution-follow-paris-agreement-climate-change-etuc-views-cop-23#.Wg7DMkqnGUk
