Dec 2, 2009

COP Side Event: Financing Climate Change

How much funding is lacking? Who should pay? Using what mechanisms? Toward what type of activities and sectors should investment made and how? There are some of the questions which will be covered during this seminar which will be held on Wednesday, December 16 in the World of Work Pavilion at 18:00 – 19:30.
The following trade union as well as civil society organizations will take part and present their positions on this issue: ITUC, ETUC; COSATU - South Africa, GEFONT and NTUC – Nepal, CCOO – Spain, Oxfam, Climate Justice and Sustainlabour.
More information here. Leer más...

COP Side Event: Women Workers and Green Jobs


Where does equality remain in the promotion of green jobs? If green employment represents the jobs of the future, they must also be jobs for women. Is this variable integrated into current proposals? The Sustainlabour Foundation and the ITUC have opened a debate as part of the first reflection on this issue in the form of a draft report entitled ¨Women Workers and Green Jobs: Employment, Equity and Equality¨ to be presented Wednesday, December 16 in the World of Work Pavilion at 15:00 – 16:00.
More information here. Leer más...

Nov 25, 2009

Preparations for Copenhangen – the trade union WoW pavilion

During the COP15 Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, the Danish trade union LO-Denmark will open the doors to its building for the World of Work (WoW) Pavilion from December 14 – 16, 2009. During three days the pavilion will host various trade union activities.
Among the activities set to take place, Sustainlabour will participate in the organization of two events on Wednesday, December 16. In addition, as part of the joint UNEP/Sustainlabour programme on Labour and Environment, Sustainlabour will provide assistance to the trade union delegation and facilitate the participation unionists in the negotiation processes.
Finally the premier of a video, produced jointly by Sustainlabour and the ITUC, about Trade Unions and Climate Change will be held at the closing of the WoW Pavilion in the Worker´s Museum on December 16, from 20:00 to 22:00.

More information will soon be available. Leer más...

Nov 1, 2009

Women Workers and Green Jobs report

Green jobs should be unionised jobs where concerted efforts are made to employ, recruit, train, pay equitably and organise women”, a sentiment reflected in the Sustainlabour-ITUC joint preliminary report entitled ¨Women Workers and Green Jobs: employment, equity and equality¨ and presented recently at ITUC´s first World Women’s Conference held on October 19 – 21, 2009 in Brussels. The report explores the creation of green jobs in various sectors; analyzes to what extent women workers have access to these positions; the necessary policy measures that must be adapted to ensure the inclusion of the gender dimension into the green jobs agenda, and the role of unions in the organization of women workers in the emerging green economy. This draft will be presented at the Conference on Climate Change in Copenhagen in December.
For more information click here. Leer más...

Climate change talks in Barcelona

Held from 2-6 November 2009, the Barcelona Climate Change meeting represents the final round of negotiations before the Conference in Copenhagen. The talks which will be attended by over 4,000 delegates and international observers will aim to draw up a text for an agreement at COP15 and will cover themes such as Adaptation, Mitigation, Financing, and Technology Transfer.
More information here. Leer más...

Oct 5, 2009

First Trade Union Conference on Labour and Environment

The first regional conference on Labour and Environment for Eastern European and Central Asian countries was held in Baku, Azerbaijan on September 23-25, 2009. The event was organized by the Pan-European Regional Council of the ITUC (ITUC-PERC) and Sustainlabour with the support of the International Trade union Confederation in Azerbaijan (AHIK). The Conference aimed at establishing a framework for discussion and the adoption of common strategies for action on Sustainable Development by Trade Unions from NIS countries. This event is part of the joint UNEP-Sustainlabour project on “Strengthening trade union participation to international environmental processes”.

See here for more information. Leer más...

Sep 2, 2009

Launch of pesticides project in Western Africa

The first union project on sound management of pesticides use in the sugar cane and cotton sectors of the French-speaking Afican countries of Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso and Benin, was presented in Cotonou, Benin from August 24 – 26, 2009. The project is a follow up of a pilot initiative originally carried by IUF, ILO and the WHO in 1995 in Tanzania, Ghana, and Kenya.
With the support of Sustainlabour the project aims to strengthen workers skills and knowledge on occupational health and safety, and the environment in these two sectors, which are known for their use of high levels of pesticides. Leer más...

Sep 1, 2009

Food Crisis and Climate Change

The ITUC – Africa with the support of Sustainlabour, held the first trade union workshop on Food Crisis and Climate Change in Africa from August 17-18, 2009 in Lome, Togo. A total of 30 unionists from 19 countries took part in this event. Activities carried out in this workshop are part of the joint UNEP-Sustainlabour project on “Strengthening trade union participation to international environmental processes”.
Over the two day workshop participants analyzed the causes of the deteriorating state of global food availability. This included discussion about financial factors; unequal distribution of land; unsustainable use of natural resources such as water, and threats to biodiversity, along with a special analysis of the impacts of climate change on agriculture. Leer más...

Jul 29, 2009

ITUC-Africa: Candidate selected in charge of addressing Environment and Occupational health themes

The ITUC-Africa has called for the creation of a new work area reflecting the themes of sustainable development and occupational health in order to facilitate the coordination and the promotion of related trade union actions in the region. This is the second regional trade union organization after the ITUC-Latin America that has elaborated a specific work area related to environmental and sustainable development themes.
The successful candidate, Yahya Msangi, will be in charge of work in this area pertaining to climate change, sustainable development, chemical risk and occupational health are challenges so that these themes are better reflected in ITUC-Africa’s agenda.
Mr. Yahya Msangi has many years of experience working with trade union movements and is a great reference person in the area of chemical risk and occupational health especially in the agricultural sector. Yahya has collaborated and supported several of Sustainlabour´s activities undertaken in the past few years and we extend him a warm welcome as he assumes his new post. Leer más...

Jul 20, 2009

Africa: Food Crisis and Climate Change Seminar

The International Trade Union Confederation of Africa (ITUC-Africa) with support of Sustainlabour is currently organizing a trade union seminar on Food Crisis and Climate Change which will take place on August 18 – 19 in Lomé, Togo.
The seminar hopes to create a space a for discussion regarding the causes of the deteriorating state of global food availability including financial factors; unequal distribution of land; unsustainable use of natural resources such as water, and threats to biodiversity, along with a special analysis of the impacts of climate change on agriculture. Another premise of the event is to develop a regional plan of action for the coordination of trade union activity in this area. Trade union representatives from more than 25 countries as well as experts from various international organizations will be in attendance. Leer más...

Jul 8, 2009

Sustainlabour and the IUF: Global Pesticides Project in francophone Africa

In 1998 several African trade unions from Ethiopia, Malawi, Ghana, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zimbabwe began a project entitled ¨Global Project on Pesticides¨ with the objective of reducing and minimizing the impacts of pesticides use on farmers´ health and the environment. The project included a wide range of activities: the elaboration of materials, training, trade union activities, and projects related to the substitution of the use of harmful chemicals. Leer más...

Jul 4, 2009

Sustainlabour delivers training session in renewable energies with workers in Peru

From June 18-23, 40 workers from the Cajamarca region of Peru participated in a professional training course on photovoltaic solar energy. The course covered topics such as the design, implementation, management, and evaluation of photovoltaic energy systems while serving to promote the creation of sustainable employment in the region and in the country.
The session took place in the Centre for Technical Training in Applied Technologies (CEDECAP) in Cajamarca. Sustainlabour organized the event in cooperation with Engineers Without Borders (EWB) and Practical Solutions ITDG. This project is part of the joint UNEP-Sustainlabour programme on Labour and Environment. Leer más...

Jul 2, 2009

Trade Unions at the OECD Conference on Nanotechnology

The OECD Conference on Potential Environmental Benefits of Nanotechnology: Fostering Safe Innovation-Led Growth will be held in Paris from July 15 -17, 2009.
Trade Unions will participate in the Conference in order to bring forward general concerns and input as food for thought in the area related to the occupational health aspects of nanotechnologies. The Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) will participate in the opening plenary to address these issues. Leer más...

Jun 13, 2009

Climate change: Sustainlabour continues its work on the road to Copenhagen

A large delegation of trade-unionists took part in the preparatory meeting for the Copenhagen Summit (1st to 12th June in Bonn, Germany). Sustainlabour was also there, supporting trade union positions, and reinforcing their weight in these vital international negotiations.
Over the past few weeks there has been positive news for the trade union movement. The “chair’s official negotiation text”, which was published a few weeks prior to the meeting and which will form the basis for climate change negotiations in Copenhagen, includes the recognition of the need for a just transition for workers who will be the most affected by the carbon emission reduction efforts. Trade unions’ and the ITUC’s hard work has paid off. More information is available here. Leer más...

Jun 5, 2009

Sustainlabour: launching of the training guides in Russian

The UNEP and Sustainlabour training guides on Climate Change and the Rational Management of Chemical Substances have just come out in Russian. They can be downloaded from our website. Leer más...

May 18, 2009

The trade unions make themselves heard during the CSD

Sustainlabour actively participated in the 17thssion of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) which took place in New York City from the 4th the 15th of may. During this session, the focus was on Africa, agriculture, droughts and desertification, among others. The trade union movement, with 24 delegates from 14 countries, insisted on the need to include key issues into the debate: the need to protect and give a voice to agriculture workers, the need for a right to food, or the urgency to promote social protection and decent work in rural areas in order to advance towards a more sustainable agriculture.
Sustainlabour and the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) organized an event on the 11th May entitled “In the context of a multiple crisis (food, labor, financial, climatic): a new global compromise on agriculture?”. 40 delegates, of which a number of governmental representatives, took part in the workshop. Speakers included Danila Boneba, the United Nations rapporteur on the right to Food, and Katishi Masemole, general secretary of COSATU, among others. The director of Sustainlabour, Laura Martin (who also made a presentation) and Anabella Rosemberg of the ITUC were present at the meeting. Leer más...

UNEP-Sustainlabour: training on renewable energies in Peru

Over the month of June, Sustainlabour will be organizing a professional training course on solar energies which will be mainly targeted at construction workers. The course includes the evaluation, design, implementation and management of photovoltaic energy systems, thereby encouraging the creation of sustainable jobs in the region and throughout the country. During the training, there shall be a combination of theoretical and practical activities, including the setting-up of a photovoltaic energy system. Leer más...

May 16, 2009

Sustainlabour at the International Conference on Chemical Management

Sustainlabour actively participated as part of the Trade Union Delegation at the second session of the International Conference on Chemicals Management (ICCM2 – SAICM) which took place in Geneva from the 11th to the 15th May. SAICM is a non-legally binding United Nations process which aims at ensuring that, by the year 2020, chemicals are produced and used in ways that minimize significant adverse impacts on the environment and human health.
Questions about the actions to undertake on emerging issues such as chemicals in products, lead in paints, electronic waste, nanotechnology and nanomaterials were part of the discussion. Also basic questions on rules of procedure and how to monitor the progress in achieving the goals were part of the agenda.
Although progress in some areas was observed, there was important disappointment on others as for example the outcomes on nanotechnologies which did not success to adequately address occupational health and safety issues. Leer más...

May 9, 2009

United Nations Comission on Sustainable Development: Sustainlabour prepares a side event

A new policy session of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development (CDS) takes place in New York from 4th to 15th May. The session is focused in Africa, agriculture, drought and desertification and rural development, among others. Last year politics were reviewed and now it is time to approve recommendations to deal with these issues.

Sustainlabour and the International Trade Union Confederation, in partnership with Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, organise a side event on the 11th in United Nations building. The event will be focused on hunger and changes in agriculture in the contexts of crisis. ITUC will also present a report on the Food Crises “A Recipe for Hunger. How the World is Failing on Food”.

On 6th May, Laura Martín, director of Sustainlabour, spoke to the plenary in representation of trade unions groups to call for the inclusion of fundamental issues such as the need to increase the incomes on rural and urban workers and guarantee that agriculture works for their communities. She also defended the need to include occupational health issues in the final text. Martín expressed trade unions disappointment because there was just a single minute for civil society interventions, and thanked United States governments for its attempt to increase trade unions participation. Leer más...

May 6, 2009

Bonn Climate Change Talks

The first series of talks on climate change ended on 8th April in Bonn (Germany). Throughout this year, governments are negotiating for a new and ambitious agreement on climate change (in view of the upcoming COP in Copenhagen next December). In Bonn, ITUC called for the integration of social justice into the transition towards a low carbon economy. Read more in our bulletin. Leer más...

May 1, 2009

Second Conference on Labour and Environment in Latin America and the Caribbean


From 4th to 6th of May, TUAC organises the Second Trade Union Conference on Labour and Environment in Latin America and the Caribbean, with the presence of more than 70 participants from the region. Chemicals management and climate change are the two main issues addressed at the conference. This Conference is part of the joint programme UNEP-Sustainlabour, and it is a follow up of the First Conference which took place in April 2006.

One of the main objectives of the event is to provide information to the trade union movement on both issues. In fact, trade unions have been working in recent years in climate change and sound management of chemicals, and its consequences for workers.

On climate change, it was expressed the need to advance towards a consolidated, common trade union position to be defended at the upcoming United Nations Framework Conference in Copenhagen. On chemicals management, the conference mostly focus on training with the objective to place Trade Unions in a better position to demand more chemical health and safety programs to public and private sectors.

For more information on the conference, documents, etc. visit TUCA's site here

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Apr 6, 2009

Trade union conference on Labour and Environment in Latin America and the Caribbean

The 2nd Trade Union Conference will take place in Buenos Aires, Argentina from 4th to 6th May 2009. This conference is part of the programme on Labour and Environment that is currently being jointly developed by Sustainlabour and UNEP. This conference places itself in line with a series of scheduled conferences: Asia (which took place in Jakarta in November 2008), Africa and Eastern Europe (scheduled for 2009). Leer más...

Mar 17, 2009

2009 UNEP Governing Council: one of these years to be remembered

The last Governing Council of UNEP will be probably be remembered as the begging of the end for mercury. It has been finally approved to establish a legally binding instrument on mercury, commencing the work of the first intergovernmental negotiating committee (INC) in 2010. After more than nine years advocating on the need to elaborate a legally-binding mechanism to control, reduce and eliminate mercury; this agreement is indeed an important step forward and really good news –a prolonged applause accompanied the decision, that some defined to be a moment of shared spirit of compromise.

The change of position on mercury of the recently new US administration has been one of the most expected political movements, and it has happened. Although they did not go as far as leaving the door clearly open to use this instrument to add other hazardous substance as lead and cadmium, the change of position and attitude it is in itself relevant. Let’s hope this more concealing and compromised position will be the attitude in the rest of the environmental forums.

At this meeting, UNEP has also presented a report called “Green New Deal” in which puts forward the need to integrate environmental questions as part of the economic response and measures that are being articulated to address current crises and to move towards a green economy. The report presents the opportunities that this crisis might open and expresses the need to redirect investments and policies towards those sectors that incorporate the environmental dimension.

The notion of green economy has been used by many of the Ministers and delegates during the Ministerial Consultations, though definitions have not been always the same. It was largely presented the positive opportunities of access into market, employment, investment… Many countries presented project on the “green” -particularly renewable energies.

Besides this, it has prevailed a certain shared sentiment mainly amongst the developing countries that this new green innovations will only benefit and will be accessible in developed countries. So aspects as the need to integrate social redistribution, making the link with the agenda of poverty eradication and the need to change the current model were launched at the debate but some of them were left quite aside.

You can download the report on the UNEP Green New Deal here. The Trade Union statement can be dowloaded here, and one of the inverventions made in Plenary at the Minsterial Consultations here.

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Feb 10, 2009

Conference on Good Jobs, Green Jobs

The conference was hosted by the United Steel Workers and the Sierra Club February 4-6 in Pittsburgh, USA and brought together advocates representing local, state and federal policy makers; labor; business; the environment and public health; economic and workforce development specialists; investors; and scientists and technology experts to address the issue on “Good Jobs, Green Jobs”.
For more information visit our website. Leer más...