Unions and academics assess the employment impacts of climate change

Brussels, 13rd September (ITUC OnLine):  A new report launched today “Conference News: Workshop on Climate Change, its impacts on employment and labour markets” examining the impacts of climate change on employment, brings together the findings of a group of 50 trade union and university experts on the subject. The report arises from a March 2010 meeting organized in Brussels by the ITUC, the Global Unions Research Network (GURN) and the Bureau of Workers’ Activities of the International Labour Organisation (ILO ACTRAV)

“This report confirms the importance the international trade union movement gives to collecting sound research and assessing the positive effects of climate policies, as well as challenges for workers and their trade unions in tackling climate change.  Knowledge about impacts and policy measures needed to ensure a Just Transition is fundamental to the labour movement’s proactive engagement in climate change debates”, said Sharan Burrow, ITUC General Secretary.

The report summarises the presentations made by researchers at the March event and the discussions which followed. Studies on the transition from offshore oil to offshore wind, industrial policies and green jobs, local strategies for green development and regional approaches are included in the report.  The launch of the report is the first in a series entitled “Conference News” which the ITUC is releasing as part of its work on climate change and the green economy.

“The report confirms that trade unions are in the right track when they call for ambitious climate policies, coupled with strong accompanying policies.  It also constitutes a first step towards more cooperation on climate change between academia and trade unions at the international level”, said Burrow.

The International Trade Union Confederation
Our new Climate Change and Green Economy blog is:
http://www.ituc-csi.org/-climate-change-blog-.html

View the full report here