Brussels, 15/12/2009
The Copenhagen negotiations are taking place against a very unusual backdrop, as the economic and financial crisis triggers unprecedented unemployment in Europe and demonstrates the dominance of the financial system over the real economy.
Speaking at today’s conference on low-carbon industrial policies organised by European trade unions, ETUC General Secretary John Monks said: “The decisions taken at the Copenhagen Summit will be key to judging whether Europe and the world are committed to making the necessary changes to both protect the climate and strengthen social cohesion.”
In the current context, it is in the interests of the trade union movement to link the challenges of climate change with those of employment and industrial policies and to place the issue of climate change in the context of a wider debate. A radical economic and industrial transformation must be proposed, based on a medium- and long-term vision and taking account of the fact that climate change is exacerbating inequalities between and within different parts of the world. The time has come to speak out for a just transition, something that represents a huge sustainable development challenge for every region of the world.
John Monks added: “To achieve this goal, we need to promote coordinated global R&D initiatives, share scientific knowledge, and develop and disseminate green technologies globally by relying on technology transfer policies and balanced rules governing intellectual property, taking into account both these needs and the social and economic objectives of those that finance them.”