25/09/2009

Copenhagen: making global greenhouse gas reduction obligatory under international law

The climate is changing. How about the workers?

The European Federation of Food, Agriculture and Tourism Trade Union (EFFAT) analysed, at its Climate Change Conference on 24^th September 2009, the impact of climate change on the sectors agriculture, food production and tourism, and discussed actions to be undertaken by trade unions to mitigate negative consequences of climate change on employment in these sectors.

The EFFAT conference held at the European Economic and Social Committee premises gathered 100 participants from trade unions, European institutions, international organisations, employers’ associations and institutes.

Discussions showed that there is a clear need to:

· Ensure information, consultation and participation of trade unions in decision making on mitigation and adaptation measures, as the involvement of workers is essential to the sustainability of climate change policies affecting both production and consumption;

· Ensure transitional programmes for laid-off workers, including advice and training measures and financial assistance;

· Create a fund to address the problem of adaptation, managed and financed mainly by public authorities; use of the CAP to support adaptation of agriculture workers to climate change;

· Negotiate climate protection instruments and projects in the social dialogue and at enterprise level;

Based on the discussions, EFFAT will elaborate a position paper on how to fight climate change and save jobs in agriculture, food production and tourism which shall be presented at the UNFCCC Conference in Copenhagen in December 2009.

All materials, presentations will be found at: www.effat.be/ccc

COP 15 - European metalworkers on the road from Copenhagen

For the European Metalworkers Federation 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.

EFFAT's view on sustainable development

Sustainable development seeks to "meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” in the sense of balance between economic, social and environmental elements. Still, increasingly rapid global changes, from the melting of the icecaps to growing energy and resource demand, are challenging this objective.