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JUST TRANSITION TO A LOW CARBON ECONOMY

JUST TRANSITION TO A LOW CARBON ECONOMY . HELEN DIATILE NUM PRESENTATION IN NEW YORK 2012 National Chairperson –Education . Introduction and contents . Safety first! P rofits later! I mportant for transitions Background Num and climate change Causes for climate change

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JUST TRANSITION TO A LOW CARBON ECONOMY

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  1. JUST TRANSITION TO A LOW CARBON ECONOMY HELEN DIATILE NUM PRESENTATION IN NEW YORK 2012 National Chairperson –Education

  2. Introduction and contents • Safety first! Profits later! Important for transitions • Background • Num and climate change • Causes for climate change • Num and just transition • Fundamental principles • Num supports Cosatu position • Migration to low carbon economy • Num positions on the debate • Prioritisinglegislative framework • Fundamental principles – economy • Rights and services • Towards a low carbon economy • International mobilization • Environmental challenges and energy prospects

  3. A just transition enviable and possible Safety and Justice First Profits Later

  4. THE NATIONAL UNION OF MINEWORKRS BACKGROUND • NUM Established in 1982 • organizing in Energy , Mining and Construction in South African • Celebrating 30th year anniversary of revolutionary struggle and trade unionism. • NUM 320 000 membership • Largest affiliate of Cosatu • NUM via COSATU in member of the Tripartite Alliance in South Africa • Has a parliamentary office to influence policy and legislative processes

  5. NUM AND CLIMATE CHANGE • NUM has an organisational commitment to mitigating the risk to climate change • Promote new development path that considers the benefits for workers, this is broader placed in environmental aspects • Green versus Climate Economy

  6. NUM AND JUST TRANSITION • LOW CARBON ECONOMY • NUM supports a shift to a lower carbon economy to avoid danger of climate change • FRAMEWORK FOR FAIRNESS • a framework for a fair and sustainable shift to a low carbon economy • SYSTEMATIC TRANSITIONS • It must be systematic and not chaotic(it must be predictable ) • CAPITAL MUST SACRIFICE • Must not create a sense of a survival of the fittest where workers and the poor grease change with their lives and limb • THE POOR MUST BE EMPOWERED • Workers, families , communities must benefit and not bear the brunt of transition • TRUSTWORTHY TRANSITION • The transition must be credible such that it can be trusted by communities , workers , the environment , and families • MORAL INTERGRITY • It must have moral integrity e.g. fairness ,create opportunities than take opportunities away • JOB CREATION • It must contribute towards job creation and fight against unemployment

  7. Fundamental principles • INTERACTIVE TRANSITION • The transition must be broadly interactive and not corporatist predominant • Job creation • It must create green jobs • Descent green jobs • Worker /Community Empowerment • Create and expand democratic space in terms of community consultations and worker participations in their respective constituent space towards change

  8. NUM SUPPORTS COSATU POSITION • Transition must not disadvantage the working class world wide • Developing countries should not be compromised such that they are disadvantaged • Industrialisedcountries should pay for their environmental loot • We must take action to make the above realisable

  9. Causes of climate change up by 0.7°C in 1900s, against pre-industrial levels unpredictability, extremes –tipping points? CO2eq from oil, coal, cement, land use, cows, deforestation …

  10. MIGRATION TO LOW CARBON ECONOMY • “We need to migrate to a low carbon economy” (Labour/civil society conference declaration Oct 2010) • We resolved “to mobilize our members for the Global Day of Action on Climate Change on 3rd December 2011” (Cosatu CC July 2011)

  11. NUM positions to date • Greenhouse gas emissions are causing global warming. Global warming is causing climate change, • including unpredictable and extreme weather events. • Climate change “is one of the greatest threats to our plants and our people….with the working class most adversely affected” (2009 Congress resolution) • Environmental sustainability is one of the 6 pillars for achieving redistribution and decent jobs (Cosatu Growth Path 2010) • We need to migrate to a low carbon economy” (Labour/civil society conference declaration Oct 2010) • We resolved “to mobiliseour members for the Global Day of Action on Climate Change on 3rd December 2011” (Cosatu CC July 2011)

  12. Priorities of the framework • WORKING CLASS INTEREST • It is also the working class’ interest to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels • REDISTRIBUTION • An opportunity for deeper transformation including redistribution of power and resources • JUST TRANSITION TO LOW CARBON ECONOMY • Working class and poor worldwide should not be disadvantaged • Developing countries should not be disadvantaged • The industrialisedcountries must pay for the damage of their development • But we also have to take action

  13. Principles : The Economy • 1. Capitalist accumulation • is the cause of climate change – • we need new patterns of production and consumption. While building towards socialism we also have to act NOW. • 2. Low carbon development path • is needed to create decent jobs. • We need to redefine “growth” so that we measure social growth. • New economic activities should assist to reduce carbon emissions (mitigation), or help to deal with the impact of global warming (adaptation)

  14. Principles : Basic rights & SERVICES BASIC RIGHTS 3. Food Security must be urgently addressed – promote local and small scale food production 4. All South Africans have the right to clean, safe and affordable energy – connect ALL, reduce consumption through energy efficiency, promote renewable, reject nuclear 5. All South Africans have the right to clean water – access by ALL, protect all our water sources, use rainwater SERVICES 6. Transport emissions are high. 30% of commuters use own cars. We need to ramp up public transport that is safe, affordable, frequent & comfortable. Massive public investment and subsidisationnecessary. 7. We need to understand the impact of climate change on health e.g. increased incidents of malaria & heat-stroke, as well as ill health related to increased poverty

  15. Towards a low carbon economy THE TRANSITION & BUDGETS • We need a Just Transition, • Invests in environmentally friendly activities that create decent jobs • Protects the most vulnerable with appropriate social policies • Develops the skills of workers to be part of the new low carbon development model 9. We must have a carbon budget • An ambitious national target for REAL emission reductions • Sectoral targets • Trade union involvement in setting and implementation INTERNATIONAL POSITION 10. African solidarity • African solidarity is imperative. • A two degree rise in temperature means a 3 degree rise for Africa. This will incinerate the Continent. 11.A international agreement • that limits temperature increases to 1.5 degrees. • The agreement must be fair, ambitious, and legally binding. In the absence of a new agreement, • the existing Kyoto Protocol commitments must be extended beyond 2012. “Pledges” are not enough.

  16. International Mobilization • GREEN REGULATION • 12.We reject market mechanisms to reduce carbon emissions, • including the Clean Development Mechanism and carbon trading. • The atmosphere should not be for sale! • We need international regulation, with sanctions, instead. • GREEN FUND • 13.Developed countries must pay for their climate debt, and the Green Climate Fund must be accountable • The Fund must make grants, not loans, to projects that respect worker rights and promote gender equity. • the World Bank must keep its hands off the Fund

  17. International Mobilization • TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT • We need technology development and transfers, without the burden of payment for intellectual property rights. • INTERANTIONAL NETWORKS • International collaboration on research into issues such as “carbon capture” are important.

  18. ENVORONMENTAL CHALLENGES AND ENERGY PROSPECTS • Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) • ``Coal Mine Drainage`` (CMD) • Mine Rehabilitation Programmes and financing • Environmental degradation • No!to Nuclear Energy and not in the sustainable Energy Mix • Yes !To Renewable Energy sources: • Wind • Biomass • Solar • Hydro

  19. S S A’s - Energy Mix Accelerating universal access = R 18.5 bn (2010-15) • New build programs • Medupi • Kusile • Ingula • Networks • Gas • Nuclear • = R 308 bn1 Support IPPs Energy • R&D • UCG • = R 0.8 bn • Growth of renewables • Biomass • Solar2 • Wind • Waste • = R 7.4 bn (2010-15) • Growth related to mining • Coal mining projects • Water pipeline • Road maintenance • Majuba rail link (R 4.9 bl) • Mpumalanga rail development (R 2.2 bl) • Waterberg link Support solar geyser program = R 3.5 bn (2010-15) • Strengthen existing asset base • Boilers • Turbines • T&D networks • IT • = R 48.4 bn (2010-2015)

  20. Challenges and prospects for Energy • Renewable Energy • development of renewable energy must lead to economic development and transformation in SA • Improve /import technology • To develop our coal deposits into clean energy economy • CHALLENGES FOR ENERGY IN SA • Export of good rate energy • For domestic use poor quality rate is employed which contributes to pollution • This is the legacy of apartheid and must be corrected

  21. CONCLUSION A low carbon socialist world is possible Thank you AMANDLA!

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