Dorje Khatri from GEFONT (Nepal) will plant an ITUC flag on top of Mount Everest on 22nd May!

This action is part of GEFONT new climate change campaign `Save the Climate - Save the Himalayas`. The aim of this action is to show how high the goals of Trade Unions are.

Follow the ascent on our blog!: http://www.ituc-csi.org/the-ituc-flag-the-himalayas-and.html

In preparation for the Earth Summit on Rio in 2012.

On 14th - 16th May 2012, the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD) or 'Rio+20' will take place in Rio de Janeiro. Also referred to as the Rio+20 Earth Summit, due to the initial conference held in Rio in 1992.

ITUC: A strong mobilisation of unions and civil society throughout 2011 will be crucial for pushing governments outside of their 'comfort zones' and raising commitments.

The ITUC is launching its “7 Horrors of the World” campaign on seven 'horrific' environmental & social situations in the world.

Research articles published by ILO-ACTRAV on Climate Change and Employment and the need for a Just Transition are now available in the International Journal of Labour Research 2010, Vol. 2, Issue 2.

An ITUC article introduces the origins, definition and potential of the concept of Just Transition and explores the links between climate change and employment. Other articles explore issues such as Climate change, poverty and migration processes in Chiapas, Mexico; the greening of the offshore energy sector in the North Sea, among others.

Madrid Climate Dialogue: Green & Decent jobs, Social Protection & Financial Transactions Tax Must be on RIO+20 Agenda

Press release from the ITUC.

International trade union leaders meeting today in Madrid with the UN Panel on Sustainability and business and ngo representatives are calling for decisive and ambitious climate action in the lead-up to the Durban climate summit at the end of this year, and the “RIO+20” meeting in 2012. The union proposals are centred on a tax on financial transactions, a universal social protection floor, doubling the number of green and decent jobs and ensuring a just transition to a greener future.

ETUI Conference, 29-30 March 2011 in Brussels

The objective of the conference is to provide a forum for discussion of European and industrial sustainable climate policy actions. Cooperation between environmental and social actors is required to broaden the approach to climate change policies.

The S&D Group in the European Parliament in Brussels is hosting a seminar entitled 'Climate Refugees: A New Arena for Human Rights' on 2 March 2011.

The European social partners, BUSINESSEUROPE, CEEP, ETUC and UEAPME, are organising a conference entitled “How will employment and labour markets develop in the context of a transition towards a low-carbon economy?”

International Trade Union House, Brussels, 1-2 March 2011

The Intergovernmental Preparatory Meeting (IPM) for the nineteenth session of the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD19) took place from 21-25 February 2011, at UN headquarters in New York.

The ICEM tracks climate negotiations because of their profound implications for all workers, but especially industrial workers in energy-producing and energy-intensive industries. The Global Union Federation supports a fair, ambitious, and legally-binding climate treaty, but insists that decision-makers consider the social implications.

Today Socialists & Democrats from the European Parliament Marita Ulvskog, Dan Jorgensen, Linda McAvan and Kriton Arsenis met trade unions from Europe, Africa and Latin America to discuss the ITUC's campaign for 'Just transition towards green jobs'.

Progress on climate and just transition in Cancun, but unions demand greater government efforts on the way to Durban.

Trade unions have welcomed the final agreement reached at the UN climate conference in Cancun, one that includes trade union demands for a just transition, while calling on all governments – particularly the most developed - to raise their sights by the time of the next meeting in Durban, South Africa in one year’s time.

While millions of workers and their families face destruction of their lands and livelihoods from extreme weather events and millions more are desperate for a secure green job, the world's governments remain timid in the wake of their failure at Copenhagen.

The ETUC General Secretary, John Monks, declared:

“The European Union must adopt a Sustainable New Deal, underpinned by a development strategy to secure Europe’s recovery from recession, to adopt a just transition, to create millions of decent, sustainable and green jobs, and to make a fair and effective contribution to the global fight against climate change and social inequalities”.

International Metalworkers’ Federation (IMF) & International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine, and General Workers’ Union (ICEM) are hosting a seminar in the World of Work Pavilion on 7 December 2010, at 15H30-17H00.

WOW is back – For a second year in a row the World of Work Pavilion brings to the world trade unions´ proposals and ideas for action on climate change. Events are set to take place on 2-7 December.

In 2010 the EMF has developed, on its own and together with other trade union federations, policies related to climate change, that include improvements of European industrial policy necessary to achieve sustainable industrial manufacturing in Europe.

Instead of flying to Mexico to participate in the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the 16th Conference of the Parties (COP16), that is taking place in Cancun on 29 November – 10 December 2010, the European Metalworkers’ Federation (EMF) has decided to stay at home. Instead of exposing the globe to additional CO2 emissions, the EMF will promote its message for Cancun using digital means.

November 29, 2010 is the opening day of the two-week long negotiations of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP16) building towards the hope for a sustainable "Greener" future.

The international trade union movement wants to play a role in this process to support a "fair, ambitious and binding" international agreement that will provide a framework for combating global warming, while at the same time safeguarding industrial development, employment and workers' rights.

The main progressive group in the European Parliament today called on the European Commission and Council to shift EU's strategy ahead of the UN Climate Summit to be held in Cancun between 29 November and 10 December.

Waste management is a key issue that should be included in any future global agreement on climate change. Waste management, particularly of e-waste, is a major global issue; figures show that as much as 50bn tons of e-waste is currently clogging up the globe. In pace with the continuous development of e-products, especially consumer products, the e-waste mountain is growing. E-waste concerns citizens, consumers, workers, industry and governments alike. The only difference is the approach they take to tackle it.

In less than a week, negotiations around climate change will recommence, aiming at reviving the shaky flame left by the disappointing meeting in Copenhagen last year.

That is what the Belgian trade union CSC is doing on 28 November.

Come join at Gare du Nord in Brussels at 14H00.

UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
The 16th Conference of the Parties (COP16)

29 November – 10 December in Cancun, Mexico

Resolution of the European Metalworkers Federation

For the EMF climate change is a dangerous reality which demands a social response at international as well as European, national and regional/local and company levels. We believe that a drive towards new industrial strategies based on low carbon technologies and products can offer opportunities but also challenges for the future of industrial workplaces in Europe, especially in the context of the worst recession for 80 years and an older and broader energy and raw materials crisis.

16 December 2009, 14H00-15H30

Joint event EMF, IMF, EMCEF, ICEM

Speakers include: Poul Nyrup Rasmussen (former-Danish PM and President of the Party of European Socialists), representatives of the South African government delegation to COP 15

Tuesday, 15 December 2009

in the World of Work Pavilion

Joint booklet from ICEM, IMF, EMCEF and EMF

Industrial trade union federations representing workers in the metal, chemical, energy and mining sectors in Europe and globally.

Outreach is a daily newsletter at COP-15 UNFCCC negotiations in Copenhagen in which Sustainlabour is participating.

The article presents a summary of key trade union priorities presently in the negotiation text.

The Outreach ‘Wrap Up’ issue on the Copenhagen Climate Conference is now out and available at:

http://tinyurl.com/OutreachWrapUp

It is full of analysis from stakeholders on what happened and the way forward. Articles from Laura Martin, Sustainlabour and the ITUC.

The ITUC has the pleasure to send you our evaluation of the 15th Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC (COP15), held in Copenhagen, Denmark as well as a report on trade union activities undertaken inside and parallel to this event.

On ITUC website.

The British Trade Union Congress (TUC) organises this year's conference on climate change on 11 October. It takes place at a crucial period in climate change policymaking – nationally in the UK, and internationally.

On 25 May 2010 the European Metalworkers’ Federation (EMF) and the European Confederation of Iron and Steel Industries (EUROFER) adopted a “Common position on EU climate policy”.

The metalworkers and employers insist on a sustainable implementation of the EU Emissions Trading Directive (EU ETS) and oppose more ambitious European climate change targets in the absence of other countries committing to comparable measures.

ETUC in partnership with EMF and EMCEF.

London, 5 and 6 October 2009

INVITATION

EFFAT Climate Change Conference: Climate is changing. What about workers?

-Fight climate change-save jobs in agriculture, food and tourism-

Venue: European Economic and Social Committee, Brussels : 24 September 2009

Visit: http://www.effat.be/ccc/

IMF-ICEM-EMF-EMCEF Meeting on Climate Change
Bad Orb, Germany, 14-15 October 2009

Report from the meeting on IMF website.

At its Executive Committee on 21 October, the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) adopted a resolution entitled "Climate change, new industrial policies and ways out of the crisis", which will be presented at the forthcoming Copenhagen Summit. The ETUC proclaims the need for an ambitious international agreement and a fair social transition. These same messages are transmitted to the Environment Council being held today and the European Council on 29-30 October.

Copenhagen, 14-16 December 2009

The World of Work (WoW) Pavilion, a three-day space where trade unions from all over the world will present concrete experiences, debate policies and plan for future actions on climate change. The programme for the WoW (14-16 December) and the very easy instructions to get there are attached. Join us!