Regional Conference on Labour and Environment for Asia Pacific

A Regional Conference on “Labour and the Environment” for Asia Pacific it will take place from 26th to 28th november in Jakarta (Indonesia). The conference will count with the participation of more than 30 trade union organizations of 30 countries approximately.

A good occasion to address a number of issues. To look into the climate change effects in the region and its consequences on employment, to discus on the major environmental, health and labour challenges in the area, to focus on the key elements for a sound and sustainable chemical management. And of course, to present successful Trade Union action on these issues that can be seen as good example to encourage others action.

If you want to see the complete programme of the Regional Conference on Work and Environment for Asia Pacific, please click here.

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Poznan COP 14. Climate change training sessions for trade union delegation

In the context of COP 14, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Sustainlabour is organising some training and debating sessions in Poznan (Poland).

Seminar on climate change and implications for trade union action. The seminar will provide a good space for understanding the last scientific finding, the consequences for development, economics and labour market, the impacts of mitigation and adaptation policies on employment, and to understand how to mainstream equity and just transitions.

Seminar on process and negotiations. Key information on where the negotiations are, the way to Copenhagen, different bloc positions, and building blocks discussions. It aimsto facilitate better comprehension and information of the difficult process of international negotiations on climate change. As well, as proving a room for discussion on major challenges and potentials for action.

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Interesting to follow up! A global programme on Labour and the Environment

Sustainlabour jointly with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is running a biannual programme on “Labour and the Environment”. It was initiated a few months ago in April 2007, and it will go up to June 2009. This is the first programme of such a kind, which aims at improving engagement of workers and trade unions in the development and implementation of environmental policies. Now more than ever, workers involvement in a new and more sustainable development is needed.

This programme addresses two working areas -Climate change and Sound and Sustainable Management of Chemicals- and it has three main objectives: increasing awareness of environmental issues among workers and trade unions; increasing capacities of workers and trade unions to develop actions and projects with an environmental dimension at the workplaces and increasing participation of workers and trade unions in international environmental meetings.

The programme is funded by the Government of Spain.

The project develops activities in four regions: Africa, Asia-Pacific, Eastern Europe and Central Asia and Latin America and the Caribbean. What are the main actions? Activities will focus on public awareness, capacity building and implementation of key projects based on already existing good and successful trade union experiences.

This programme aims also at reinforcing dialogue with other civil society groups to build partnerships and synergies to address better environmental challenges and eradicating poverty.

Urging and shaping a different development! Socially fair, environmentally friendly

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Trade Unions' projects on climate change and chemical risk

Sustainlabour has identified more than 133 Trade Union’s experiences throughout the world related on the promotion of environmental issues. Who said that labour and environment are at odds?
Out of all these experiences, four of them have been used as the basis to develop concrete projects in other countries. Learning from good examples! Leer más...

Preparing for ICCM2 in Rome

Meeting of the Open-ended Legal and Technical Working Group (OELTWG) of the Strategic
Approach to International Chemical Management (SAICM) and Informal Discussions.

Adopted by the International Conference on Chemicals Management (ICCM) on 6 February
2006 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM) is a policy framework to foster the sound management of chemicals whose overarching objective is “to achieve a sound management of chemicals throughout their life-cycle so that, by 2020, chemicals are used and produced in ways that lead to minimization of significant adverse effects on human health and the environment”.
The second ICCM2 takes place in Geneva, from 11 to 15 May 2009. In the meantime it was agreed to have an “open-ended legal and technical working group”, which would meet a few months prior to the second session to advance on the rules of procedure.
This meeting took place in Rome in October 21 to 24 October 2008. Sustainlabour participated as part of the Trade Union Delegation. At the OELTWG, two working groups were established for two agenda issues (i) the decision making, and (ii) the composition of the bureau and the subsidiary bodies.
The results of the meeting were unfortunately less ambitious than needed. Decision making and the composition of the bureau became two unresolved pitfalls, which might compromise the outcomes of the ICCM2. Leer más...

Intergovernemental Forum on Chemical Safety

Sustainlabour participated as part of the Trade Union Delegation at the Forum VI of the IFCS.
The theme of these forums was “Global Partnerships for Chemical Safety– Contributing to the 2020 Goal”.
This forum is unique not only for integrating different dimensions or problems caused by chemical substances, such as public health, occupational health, environment, but also for its way of working which allows the active participation of any interested party in equal conditions and its decision making process by consensus. Despite their decisions are not binding, it has served to place in the international agenda problems caused by management of dangerous chemicals and initiate political processes in order to reduce the exposition to hazardous substances at a global level.

Nanomaterials and nanotechnologies is a subject growing importance and concerns within Trade Unions as hundreds of nanotechnology applications are already in commercial production despite a huge health and safety lack of information of the potential hazards. Leer más...