Trade Unions at the UN Convention on Climate Change

Four meetings were held in Bonn from 2-13 June, that were linked to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change: AWG-KP-5 (Ad Hoc Working Group on Further Commitments for Annex 1 Parties / Kyoto Protocol); AWG-LCA-2 (Ad Hoc Working Group on Long-term Cooperative Action under the UNFCCC); SBSTA-28 (Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice); and SBI-28 (Subsidiary Body for Implementation).

Trade unions participated as observers, speaking in the plenary sessions of the SBSTA and AWG-LCA-2. A meeting was also held with the Executive Director in which trade unionists expounded the need for a “fair transition”. One important outcome of the AWG-LCA meeting was the official call for trade organizations to make concrete proposals concerning the Bali Action Plan and other specific issues. The discussions and conclusions of these meetings showed interesting opportunities for trade unions to reinforce the inclusion of social and labour dimensions at future meetings as well as in the international negotiation process on climate change.