Greener Jobs Alliance (GJA) Newsletter No. 57 – February 2024

Greener Jobs Alliance (GJA) Newsletter No. 57 – February 2024:

Introduction & History – The GJA:

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 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.

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/

TUC Green Rep Courses:

The TUC has announced a series of new ‘free’ to attend ‘Green Rep Training Courses’ for 2024 as follows:

All union reps and officers are welcome, new or experienced, and whether in any Union role. All trade unionists can benefit from understanding what the TU movement can do to protect and empower Union members during the climate crisis.

• Stockport College Online 5, 12,19 Feb ‘24
• City of Bristol College In-person 11,18, 25 Jun ‘24
• Newcastle College In-person 11,18, 25 Jun ‘24

Link to the TUC ‘Green Rep’ Courses:-https://www.tuc.org.uk/training/TUCcourses

Paul Atkin Editorial GJA Newsletter Issue 57 – 

Paul focuses this issue’s editorial on ensuring that Labour is pressed on delivering on environmental commitments and a solid green industrial plan in the middle of the current climate emergency and as stated in the ‘Guardian’ this month – “Voters want to know that Labour will change the country for the better rather than just muddling on.” It has to be foundational for any politics that is adequate or relevant for the times we are actually in! Paul points out that at a time when even the CBI is calling for £50 billion to be invested in transition by 2030, the Labour leadership’s needs to up its investment proposals remembering that politically, their environmental pledge was Labour’s second most popular policy and at the same time ‘kick-start’ growth in the economy. The GJA’s letter to shadow minister Rachel Reeves sent in October still awaits a response! 75% of Labour Party list members oppose any watering down of Labour’s original environmental plan and commitments!  Read the full editorial & Newsletter Edition 57 attached.

Contents GJA Newsletter 57:

• Editorial: “Ambition were made of sterner stuff”: The £28 billion pound question.
• IEA projects massive acceleration of Renewable Energy
• Grantham Institute: why £26 Billion annual investment is needed
• Port Talbot motion
• Proposed “Future Homes” standards fall well short
• GKN factory occupation and union delegation
• GJA: Response to the interim report of the London Climate Resilience Review
• UCU: Mainstreaming the climate and environmental emergency
• COP Report back meeting
• TUC Green Rep Courses
• Yorkshire and Humber Just Transition Network
• And Still We Rise Festival
• Green Bites

Green Bites:

• £43Billion – The cost of fitting CCUS to all 4 Biomass units at Drax power station. This is estimated to add £1.7 billion to overall annual fuel bills across the UK. Drax is already subsidised at £600 million a year.
• 1 – The number of 1.3 MW wind farms needed to offset the gas that would be lost if no new licences were awarded in the North Sea.
• 500,000 – Number of trees planted in London since Sadiq Khan took over from Boris Johnson.
• 28 – The number of insurance companies that have already refused cover for the East African Crude Oil Pipeline.
• 1954 – The year that fossil fuel and car companies first knew about the effect of greenhouse gases.
• 60% – The projected cut in demand for fossil fuels by 2050 just from the domino effect of reduced costs and increased efficiency of electric batteries, making them stranded assets whatever they do.

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 Declarationsigned 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.

Quote of the Month

“The optimal time to increase public investment is
precisely when an economy driven by market forces is
not working. That time is now.”

D.Abbott MP – Morning Star

 Much more in the GJA Newsletter No 57 February 2024 attached.

Attachment: 

• GJA Newsletter No.57 for February 2024.

Yours sincerely

Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

LTB 069/24 – Greener Jobs Alliance (GJA) Newsletter No. 57 – February 2024

Att: GJA-Newsletter-57-February-2024

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