Greener Jobs Alliance (GJA) Newsletter No. 54 – November 2023

Greener Jobs Alliance (GJA) Newsletter No. 54 – November 2023:

Introduction:

The Greener Jobs Alliance (GJA) came into existence as a result of funding from Battersea and Wandsworth TUC. The GJA was launched to promote skills training and job creation to meet the needs of Britain’s rapidly growing low carbon sectors and to green the whole economy. The transition to a low carbon and resource efficient economy can drive sustainable economic recovery and job creation in every part of the country as well as making existing jobs more secure. But this requires a more strategic national and local approach to deliver the workforce skills needed and to stimulate demand for clean energy and energy efficiency services.

The Greener Jobs Alliance liaises at a national and local level to build the broadest possible support for the policies, investment, partnerships and commitments needed to drive the transition to a low carbon economy.

The Greener Jobs Alliance liaises with training bodies, colleges, universities, employers, local and national Government, trade unions, housing associations, campaign and community groups – to build the policies, investment and partnerships needed to drive the transition to a low carbon economy.

GJA ‘Free’ Courses:

The GJA runs a number of ‘free’ courses on the environment for Trade Union Reps in different parts of the UK which have been attended by a number of CWU Reps with details published in the newsletter.

The GJA now offer three ‘on-line’ courses as follows:

1. Climate Change Awareness

This short introductory course is aimed at trade unionists and anyone wishing to develop their understanding of the issues around climate change.  The course is divided into 4 modules.  The modules contain background information, short videos, graphs and illustrations.

• Module 1: Climate Change Explained
• Module 2: International Responses
• Module 3: Trade Union Responses
• Module 4: Getting Involved

At the end of each section, there are references and links to additional materials if you want to go further. There are no formal tests and you can work through the materials at your own pace but there are optional quizzes to check your understanding at the end of modules 1, 2 and 3.

2. A Trade Union Guide to Just Transition

Social justice must be at the heart of the development of a net-zero carbon economy. The course covers:

• The meaning and history of the term just transition
• Why it should be a priority issue
• UK and international policies and case studies
• Ideas for developing an action plan

It is aimed at trade unionists and anyone wishing to improve their understanding of why just transition should be central to climate change policy.

3. Air Quality – a trade union issue

The following issues will be explored in this free online course. It is made up of 3 modules,

• Module 1: The Causes and Health Impacts of Air Pollution
• Module 2: The Law and Government Policy
• Module 3:  Trade Union Responses and Campaigns

Link to GJA on-line Courses:https://greenerjobsalliance.co.uk/courses/

GJA Founder Graham Petersen:

The founder GJA Secretary and Newsletter editor was Graham Petersen who is well known to the CWU and has a long standing working relationship with the Union. He is a former TUC tutor and course designer who created safety reps training courses and the successful TUC Occupational Health & Safety Diploma Course. He was the head of the Trade Union Studies Centre at South Thames College before retirement from the post and has been a visitor and guest speaker at CWU events and meetings. After 30 editions, Graham stood down at the GJA AGM and handed over to Paul Atkin as newsletter editor and Tahir Latif as GJA Secretary. Graham remains a GJA Steering Group member and is now working part time for the Wales TUC having recently written a publication for them ‘Greener workplaces for a just transition – a Wales TUC toolkit for trade unionists’ which was circulated by the CWU Health, Safety and Environment Department.

Paul Atkin Editorial GJA Newsletter Issue 54 – Editorial: “A King’s speech for fossils”:

Editor Paul Atkin continues his justified attack, highlighting the failures of Tory PM Rishi Sunak and the Tory government – backing off from Net Zero commitments. He points out that Sunak’s attempt to make a retreat on climate commitments – primarily electoral opportunism didn’t do the Tories a lot of good in Tamworth and Mid Bedfordshire by elections where they lost both. Sunak’s aim is to align the Conservatives with fossil fuel interests as they dig into sabotaging the energy transition in defence of their profits.

Paul states that the latest scientific assessment on the pace of climate breakdown should make everyone stop, take a deep breath and ring alarm bells loudly. Keeping below 1.5C now requires us to get to net zero by 2034. That makes the present government’s slow down criminally irresponsible.

Paul points to PM Rishi Sunak’s recent speech in which he highlighted nuclear war and pandemics as the two major threats to humanity whilst at the same time the climate crisis fell off his list – as it always does. “None so blind as those that will not see”.

Paul concludes that the Tories continue to make short term decisions for a disastrous future. The impacts of climate breakdown are intensifying: more than ever, a rapid transition away from fossil fuels is needed. But this government’s failure to address the crisis have left ordinary people facing soaring energy bills, and crucial infrastructure like public transport failing, while energy giants pocket obscene profits. A transformation is needed!

The GJA has written to the Labour Opposition Leadership on what’s needed from Labour with questions put to Labour Leader Keir Starmer and Shadow Environment Minister Steve Reed – putting green issues on the agenda. GJA letters have been sent to Shadow Ministers Rachel Reeves Deputy PM and Angela Rayner Shadow Chancellor in an attempt to set the best conditions to make the transition to prepare the movement for the struggles ahead.

Read the full editorial & Newsletter Edition 54 attached.

Contents GJA Newsletter 54:

• Editorial: A King’s speech for Fossils
• IEA analysis and projections
• UK U-Turn on Deep Sea Mining
• Transport
• Local authorities put under the climate spotlight
• Direct Labour: the key to meeting the retrofit challenge
• National Climate Service pamphlet out from PCS
• Organising
• Somerset Solidarity Day
• What’s COP and why does it matter?
• Global Day of Action: 9 Dec
• Winning Climate Justice for Auto-workers
• What struggles do we need to win for Climate Justice?
• We make tomorrow Conference
• Worker Activist Climate Survey
• Military spending vs climate spending
• Green Bites
• Green Bites

What is a just transition?

A just transition seeks to ensure that the substantial benefits of a green economy transition are shared widely, while also supporting those who stand to lose economically – be they countries, regions, industries, communities, workers or consumers.

A rapid increase in the speed and scale of actions required to reduce the risks of climate change will create new economic opportunities.

Whilst a just transition is mainly based on environmental considerations, it is also shaped by other structural changes affecting labour markets, such as globalisation, labour-saving technologies and the shift to services.

A just transition is an integral part of many of the global commitments adopted by countries. The Paris Agreement acknowledges “the imperatives of a just transition of the workforce and the creation of decent work and quality jobs in accordance with nationally defined development priorities” and highlights the importance of workers in responding to climate change.

Furthermore, the just transition concept links to 14 of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, explicitly drawing together SDGs No 12 – climate action, No 10 – reduced inequalities, No 8 – decent work and economic growth, and No 7 – affordable and clean energy.

Many countries have recognised the challenge that this transformation entails and are taking measures to protect those that are most vulnerable and affected by the changes, including across the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) regions.

• The European Union’s Just Transition Mechanism is integral to the EU’s Green Deal, targeted at ensuring “a fair transition to a climate-neutral economy, leaving no one behind” and aims to mobilise at least €150 billion over the period 2021-2027;
• The Solidarity and Just Transition Silesia Declaration signed by 50 countries at COP24, which states that: “a just transition of the workforce and the creation of decent work and quality jobs are crucial to ensure an effective and inclusive transition”;
• Climate Action for Jobs Initiative, co-led by the International Labour Organisation, Spain and Peru, with 46 countries committing to develop “national plans for a just transition and create decent green jobs”.
• The UNFCCC Gender Action plan, whereby parties to the UNFCCC have recognized the importance of involving women and men equally in the development and implementation of national climate policies that are gender-responsive.

Quotes of the Month:

“The Commission’s analysis demonstrates that there is no public policy case for hydrogen to be used to heat individual buildings. It should be ruled out as an option to enable an exclusive focus on switching to electrified heat.”

Report on National Infrastructure Commission judgement (Published in ‘The Guardian’)

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“Our recent analysis shows that just five rich global north countries are responsible for the majority (51%) of planned new oil and gas extraction to 2050: the US, Canada, Australia, Norway and the UK. These countries have the moral and historical responsibility to move first and fastest to phase out fossil fuel production.”

Romain Ioualalen, (Oil Change International)

Much more in the GJA Newsletter No 54 November attached.

 Attachment: 

• GJA Newsletter No.54 for November

Yours sincerely

Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

23LTB290 Greener Jobs Alliance (GJA) Newsletter No. 54 – November 2023

GJA-Newsletter-54-November-2023

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