Unions call on governments in Cancun to lift expectations and get results in next three days
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.
"Governments must raise their sights and as a very minimum, make specific commitments to climate financing for the most vulnerable by the end of the Cancun conference," said ITUC General Secretary Sharan Burrow. "There must be a signal that real leadership will emerge towards the South Africa climate conference at the end of 2011 - the COP17 conference must be a destination with a binding global agreement that puts climate action and green jobs on track for a secure and sustainable future for the world."
The ITUC delegation in Cancun will hold a side event at 6.30 p.m; on 9 December In Room Pitaya at Cancun Messe.
Trade unions and civil society will debate the plan for a call to action and campaigning throughout 2011. Their mobilisation aims to ensure that every government is held to account both at home, to take identifiable measures to cut emissions and create quality green jobs, and internationally to reach a multilateral binding agreement incorporating just transition and decent work at COP17.
Follow trade unions @ Cancun with our blog: http://www.ituc-csi.org/-climate-change-blog-.html
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For further information, please contact the ITUC Press Department on: +32 2 224 0204 or + 32 476 62 10 18
