Category: green unison

Blog: COP27 – One step forward…

Early on Sunday morning Sameh Shoukry, the Egyptian foreign minister and President of COP27, the United Nations Climate Conference, closed the proceedings with a tired last flourish of his gavel. Many of the delegates and observers had left, including myself, as it had been scheduled to finish on the Friday.

Mr Shoukry could, at least, be satisfied that an agreement was finally reached. Throughout the second week the gap between the different parties was so great, that it seemed unlikely it could be closed.

There were those seeking greater ambition in achieving the target temperature rise of only 1.5 degrees (a target which remained barely alive after COP26) and those who were willing to forget it.

Those demanding a fund be set up to deal with loss and damage – compensation for the people of the Global South who have benefitted least from the burning of fossil fuels by the rich nations, and suffering most from the impacts of climate change – were opposed by the US and a few others.

In the end, after 27 COPs, it was finally agreed to set up a Loss and Damage Fund. There is no money in the fund yet, and no agreement as to who should be paying into it (the US and EU want China included) nor who should receive the funds – all the developing countries, or just the most vulnerable. But it was a genuinely historic decision, that trade unions helped to campaign for, recognising that those who have caused the damage should compensate those who have suffered most.

However, the Sharm el Sheikh Implementation Plan, following the Glasgow Climate Pact and the Paris Agreement, could be seen as a step backwards. In Glasgow it was agreed to commit to the “phasing down of unmitigated coal.” It was hoped to build on this with commitments to “phase down” the use of all fossil fuels.

But at a conference where, once again, the biggest number of representatives came from fossil fuel companies and the hosts, Egypt, wish to develop their gas reserves, it’s hardly surprising that these hopes would come up against resistance. Furthermore, countries like Saudi Arabia were pushing to protect their vast oil wealth and the most powerful nation, the US, is granting licenses to those fossil fuel companies to expand gas exploration.

The agreement commits to an energy transition towards “lower emissions and renewables.” This means a green light to continue the exploitation of gas, in particular, since it has lower emissions than coal.

The sick man who has been poisoned is now prescribed a slightly less poisonous substance. It won’t cure him, but it might delay his inevitable death a little longer.

The trade unions had campaigned for greater ambition in reducing the carbon emissions that are causing global warming and the catastrophic severe weather events associated with climate change.

We have been pushing for this to be done through social dialogue, involving the workers in the fossil fuel industries with the employers and governments seeking progress, whilst providing the workforce with alternative employment or training in the new industries that must replace the old.

Commitments to this just transition are enshrined in the Paris, Glasgow and now the Sharm el Sheikh agreements. However, some parties are less committed to justice for workers and more concerned with protecting the profits and power of the employers, with calls for “labour rights” to be included in the agreements ignored. Therefore, the fight for a just transition for workers will continue.

Finally, COP27 in sunny Sharm el Sheikh took place under the cloud of Egypt’s appalling record on human rights, including its suppression of climate change activists and trade unionists.

There were no protests or unofficial meetings outside the COP27 conference centre and at the end of the two weeks 60,000 political prisoners remain in Egypt’s prisons.

There can be no climate justice without human rights and labour rights and so there remains much to be done. I hope UNISON and our members will continue to be at the centre of this struggle.

Green UNISON

The article Blog: COP27 – One step forward… first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Mobilise to save the planet

The United Nation’s COP27 climate conference opens at the end of this week in Egypt, in the shadow of the UN’s own prediction that only the “rapid transformation of societies” will avert climate disaster.

A new UN report shows that countries are far short of meeting their Paris Agreement goal of limiting global warming to below 2°, and preferably 1.5° by 2030.

Since COP26, hosted in Glasgow last year, very limited progress has been made in reducing emissions. In fact, policies currently in place, with no additional action, are projected to result in global warming of 2.8° over the twenty-first century.

Inger Anderson, executive director of the UN Environment Programme, said: “We had our chance to make incremental changes, but that time is over. Only a root-and-branch transformation of our economies and societies can save us from accelerating climate disaster.”

The 27th climate conference will be held from 6 to 18 November, with over 198 countries attending. Trade unions will take part as observers and use their collective voice to influence decisions, put forward demands for a just transition to a low-carbon economy and hold governments to account.

Global day of action

UNISON is urging members to join the global day of action on 12 November – midway through the conference – when marches, rallies and local activities across the UK will give them the opportunity to show their solidarity and demand urgent climate action from government.

Stephen Smellie, the UNISON national executive council member who attended COP26 last year, will again be part of the ITUC delegation in Egypt.

He said: “We must not lose sight of the fact that the climate crisis is the most important issue facing working people throughout the world. The current energy crisis is a manifestation of that wider and deeper crisis.

“Governments must take action to implement the policies now that will give us a fighting chance of avoiding the chaos that the climate crisis is increasingly causing. The only way to get them to do that is to put as much pressure on our own governments. The global mobilisations on 12 November are a part of that.”

Green UNISON

One person who has been prevaricating about attending COP27 is UK prime minister Rishi Sunak.

Michelle Singleton, UNISON’s policy officer with responsibility for climate change, commented: “Unbelievably, having hosted last year’s summit, our government seems to have forgotten it has a huge role to play in ensuring global commitments are met.

“But time is running out. Now is the time to remind them of what’s at stake and the strength of feeling across the globe.”

She added: “We know our members are massively overloaded right now, struggling with both the demands of their work and the cost of living. But we also know that the climate emergency, the global cost of living crisis and the human rights abuses facing activists in Egypt are inextricably linked by political choices to put profits ahead of people.

“Report after report highlights the dangers that climate change poses for health, for life, and for societal infrastructure, without proper planning and measures to avert it.”

Get involved

When UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea closed this year’s Green UNISON week on 1 October, she reaffirmed the union’s commitment to a green agenda, with just transition at its heart.

“The devastating impacts of the climate emergency are being felt across every part of the globe, but they fall heaviest on the disadvantaged,” she said.

“We are determined to be part of the necessary change – trade unions have a vital role to ensure urgent policies and measures deliver a fair transition to a greener planet.”

The COP27 Coalition (led by Egyptian, African and Arab civil society groups), the Climate Justice Coalition (CJC) and other climate justice organisations have come together to mobilise the global day of action on 12 November.

The global day of action will involve more than 20 demonstrations in towns and cities across the UK, including London, Edinburgh, Swansea and Belfast. Tony Wright, chair of UNISON’s national policy and campaigns committee, will be speaking at the Sheffield rally.

UNISON is asking branches to encourage their members to attend their nearest demonstration, by emailing them and sharing CJC promotional materials on social media.

Equally, green reps and other interested members can speak with their branches, about how to best organise a UNISON presence on the day.

Full details on the day of action

CJC resource pack)

Watch this short video

The article Mobilise to save the planet first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Help UNISON prepare for COP27 in Egypt this November

“The devastating impacts of the climate emergency are being felt across every part of the globe, but they fall heaviest on the disadvantaged. We are determined to be part of the necessary change – trade unions have a vital role to ensure urgent policies and measures deliver a fair transition to a greener planet.”

These are the words of UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea, speaking after this year’s UNISON Green Week at the end of September and as the world – and this union – prepares for COP27 in Egypt next month.

Hard on the heels of UNISON Green Week at the end of September, UNISON is now preparing for COP27 in Egypt as the next mobilisation point on climate change.

The 27th climate conference will be held from 7 to 18 November this year, with over 198 countries invited to take part. World leaders will make key decisions on how countries will commit to tackle the climate emergency.

Trade unions will also take part as observers and use their collective voice to influence decisions, put forward demands for a just transition to a low-carbon economy and hold governments to account.

UNISON will be represented again this year by national executive council member Stephen Smellie, who attended COP26 last year in Glasgow as part of the International Trades Unions Congress (ITUC) delegation on behalf of UNISON, and who represented the union on the COP26 Coalition co-ordinating group that organised the mass demonstrations at COP26 last year.

UNISON is holding one of only two TUC places within the ITUC delegation, and is working hard to promote public services as key models of green transition and to ensure that the voices of public service workers are heard in Egypt.

But the union’s branches and members don’t need to go to Egypt to take part.

The African COP27 coalition, the Climate Justice Coalition (CJC) and other climate justice organisations have come together and announced a Global Day of Action on 12 November.

There will be marches, rallies and local activities across the UK for members to show their solidarity and to demand more from governments across the world on urgent climate action.

More information will be coming in the next few weeks and UNISON is encouraging its branches and members to get involved.

But you don’t need to wait. Here are some things you can do right now.

Sign up to our network to receive green updates including COP27 updates and guidance on green bargaining and being a green workplace rep. 

Sign the petition in solidarity with Egypt’s prisoners of conscience. Egypt is a difficult choice as venue for COP27 due to the government’s many human rights abuses – and the fact there are over 60,000 prisoners of conscience current held in the country’s jails. UNISON is encouraging members to sign this petition calling on Egypt to end the prosecutions of civil society activists and organisations – including human rights defenders.

View this year’s annual Green UNISON Webinar in full.

Run a green workplace training activity. UNISON is developing a range of training materials. Talk to your UNISON learning rep and look into running a lunchtime activity session for green reps and members who’d like to learn more.

Does your UNISON branch have an environment rep? If not, encourage your branch and any interested members to get involved and become green reps. You can find others who share your concerns about climate change and let Green UNISON Week be your springboard into starting a new green UNISON network where you work. Click here and check under ‘resources’ to find out more about what being a Green rep in UNISON is all about.

Find out what your employer is doing to reduce the organisation’s environmental impact. Ask your employer to share this information with UNISON by emailing us here.

Do you work in the NHS? Find out if your trust is signed up to the Food For Life Served Here (FFLSH) campaign.  Find out more here.

Be part of Green UNISON

Use hashtags #GreenUnison in Twitter and Facebook events, photographs and solidarity messages from your branch or as an individual.

Use UNISON’s greening of public services logo in your green work.

The article Help UNISON prepare for COP27 in Egypt this November first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Blog: There is no future on a dead planet

The devastating impacts of the climate emergency are felt across every part of the globe, but they fall heaviest on the disadvantaged.

UNISON doesn’t need any persuading that climate change is real, dangerous and destructive. There is no future on a dead planet, so we need commitments and action now from government and employers. And if the transition to net zero is not just, workers and their families will suffer.

We are determined to be part of the necessary change. Trade unions are the only force that can ensure urgent policies and measures deliver a fair transition.

Green UNISON Week is our time to highlight these issues, as part of our ongoing work on tackling climate change and greening the workplace. Last year, UNISON supported the UK and global trade union movement at COP26 in Glasgow. Important commitments were made, but sadly it looks like the current government will remove regulations rather than implement vital new ones.

Putting Jacob Rees-Mogg in charge of the energy brief is like putting the fox in charge of the hen house. We’re already hearing opposition to onshore wind and any expansion of solar power, with excuses that “We don’t have enough space”. Aggressive new plans for oil and gas exploration in the North Sea, and pledges to lift the fracking ban, prove that this government can’t be trusted with the environment.

This is a once-in-a-generation challenge that we must rise to, and a key part of that is decarbonising our public services. Our own research, Getting to net zero in UK public services: The road to decarbonisation, has shown that the UK government can only meet its Just Transition pledges by committing to urgent additional funding (around £140 billion) and implementing a social dialogue and partnership with the representative organisations of workers and employers.

The costs of renewable energy continue to decline dramatically ahead of expectations. At the same time, leaked Treasury analysis in August showed that excess profits for UK-based fossil fuel producers would reach £170bn in the next two years; it’s clear, from this, that political choices could make the money available for a Just Transition.

The UK also has one of the oldest and most energy inefficient housing stocks in Europe. We are the least prepared and most vulnerable to the current unprecedented energy price hike across Europe, further compounding the cost of living crisis. This could have been avoided if an urgent national programme of home insulation measures had been implemented. UNISON has been calling for this for nearly a decade.

We know there are many urgent funding issues facing this government, but they are all political choices. While we accept that windfall taxes, or any taxes, aren’t the whole answer, it’s clear that greening the workplace and getting to net zero will require money to be raised fairly, and to be targeted at what works best. It’s also clear that we can’t afford to wait.

You can take action now. Get involved in Green UNISON Week.

 

The article Blog: There is no future on a dead planet first appeared on the UNISON National site.