Training of Trainers on Climate Change and Sound Management of Chemicals

The seminar, held in Geneva from 26th to 30th May, was the first activity under the Sustainlabour- UNEP program. We had participants from Trade Unions from Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia Pacific and Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

The Seminar addressed the following purposes:

1. Establishing a working group for the region, who could provide input to subsequent activities and disseminate knowledge to unions of the region.
2. Providing this "working group" with the necessary technical knowledge on issues.
3. Giving the opportunity to representatives from different regions to get to know each other and exchange experiences.
4. Brief on the following activities of the program. This will help to prepare the regional conferences to be hold bwtween 2008 and 2009.

Download presentations on the list below

Session 2: Labour and the Environment
El papel del sindicalismo como actor del desarrollo sostenible, by Joaquin Nieto, Sustainlabour (Spanish only)

Session 3: Climate change mitigation and adaptation, consequences on employment, trade union action
Introduction to Climate Change, by Joaquin Nieto, Sustainlabour
Climate Change and Employment, by Anabella Rosemberg (ITUC)
ITUC Papers on Trade Union Action on Energy, Transportation, Building/Construction and Agriculture
Mitigation of climate change and its relation to employment (in Spanish), Ana Belen Sanchez -CC-OO (Spanish)
Trade Union Action on Climate Change, by Laura Martin Maurillo (Sustainlabour)

Session 4: Sound and sustainable management of chemicals
Introduction to Chemicals Management, by Judith Garcia Carreras (Sustainlabour)
Uso Seguro de Químicos en los Puestos de Trabajo, by Carmen Mancheno, CCOO (Spanish only)
Use of Chemicals in the Workplace – Exposure Reduction Strategies, by Yahya Msangi (Tanzania Plantation Agriculture Workers Union)
Effects of Human Health and Environment by Peter Orris (Occupational Health Service Institute – University of Illinois)
Stakeholder Involvement - Global Chemical Agenda - Evolution andChallenges, by Kaj Madsen (UNEP DTIE Chemicals)
Overview of the Strategic Approach to International Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM) , by Hamoudi Shubber (UNEP DTIE Chemicals)

Session 5: Presentation by UNEP DTIE Energy Branch
Energy and Climate change: UNEP and Trade Unions’Role, by Emanuela Menichetti

Session 6: Presentation on Green Jobs
Sustainable Development and Green Jobs: an overview, by Peter Poschen (ILO)

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Asia Pacific Regional Conference

The International Trade Union Confederation – Asia Pacific (ITUC-Asia Pacific) organized the First Regional Conference on Environmental Protection, Sustainable Development and Employment.
This first round of United Nations climate change talks got underway in Bangkok at the end of March, with the tough but successful negotiations in Bali still fresh in everyone’s memory. Parties had agreed at Bali to jointly step up international efforts to combat climate change and get to an agreed outcome in Copenhagen in 2009.

Sustainlabour participated in the Conference, held on 25 and 26 March 2008, which counted with the participation of 41 trade unionists from 18 countries from the region.

More information here. Leer más...

UNEP 9th Global Civil Society Forum (GCSF – 9)

The Ninth Session of the Global Civil Society Forum has been held from 19-22 February 2008. The objective of this meeting is to provide a platform for exchange and consultation on key environmental issue between Major Groups and Civil Society Organization to better address and participate at the UNEP Governing Council.
We welcome the election of Lucien Royer as Chair of the Major Groups Facilitating Committee of the Global Civil Society Forum. Sustainlabour also participated as part of the Facilitating Committee.

More information here.

Click here to download the final report. Leer más...

Climate change training session for the trade union delegation

Sustainlabour and the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) organised a training session on climate change, looking at effects on employment and climate change negotiation.
This session aimed at facilitating new Trade Union delegates with better comprehension of an increasingly difficult process of international negotiations on climate change. The seminar was widely attended, and it provided a good space for debating.

For the complete program. Leer más...

Going out of Bali with an agreement weak in objectives, but strong in process

Sustainlabour was present at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change from 3 to 14 December 2007 in Bali. (COP 13)

Jointly with different Trade Unions Sustainlabour organized a number of working seminars on adaptation, public transport, amongst others.

A look at the results of the meeting of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate change (UNFCCC):

Governments at the Convention on Climate Change have come to a weak document in terms greenhouse gas emission reduction objectives, but have managed to agree on a “Road Map” that will be the basis of future negotiation on climate change.

Governments have recognised the urgency of action on climate change, and declared to have made important concessions. However, the political response risks of not being ambitious enough to respond to what scientists have raised, and so to timely cope with the huge tasks ahead.

Last negotiation round ended with the acceptance from the US to take the G77 and China demands on measurable, reportable and verifiable aid for technology and capacity building. This last round left the US visibly alone and finally recognized what has been the main demand from developing countries: the need for a real transfer of technology.

To read more on this click here. Leer más...

Soon available: training guides for workers

Sustainlabour and UNEP have just started a two-year programme on Labour and the Environment for Africa, Asia and Latin America. One of the first actions is the elaboration of a training guide on climate change in which you will find information on climate change and its impacts, effects on employment and trade union actions on climate change. More information soon. Leer más...