1 / 8

Transition to renewable energy A trade union concern

This white paper explores the transition to renewable energy as a solution to climate change, with a focus on economic and local development, social benefits, and labor developments. It emphasizes the need for a "just transition" that maximizes quality job creation in renewable energy while minimizing disruption to workers in fossil fuel sectors. The paper suggests a combination of policies, public investment, guaranteed prices, and financial incentives to achieve this transition, as well as the role of unions in encouraging conversion to renewable energy and bridging the gap between industry and civil society. Case studies from Germany and Spain demonstrate the concrete changes on the ground brought about by involving unions in renewable energy initiatives.

inezredmond
Download Presentation

Transition to renewable energy A trade union concern

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Transition to renewable energy A trade union concern European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) Sophie Dupressoir

  2. Renewables and sustainable development Long term, balanced approach: environment, quality employment, social cohesion, growth (White paper 1997, Göteborg Strategy) → Renewable energy, part of the solution to climate change → Economic and local development → Social benefits and labour developments + 1 million net jobs (MITRE)

  3. A « just transition » towards sustainable energy • Maximize quality job creation in RE • part time / full time • temporary / sustainable • newly created / maintained • qualified / non qualified • Minimize disruption to workers and their families in fossil fuels sectors • Strengthen the public service obligation

  4. A combination of instruments • Policies which create the dynamics • Public investment • Garanteed prices and financial incentives • Rebalanced European R&D • Binding targets for RES-E • Anticipation and management of social impact: Assessement of the social costs, Employment transition programme • CSR with labour force’s participation

  5. Ensuring concrete change “on the ground” The role of the unions(1) • Workers at company level can encourage conversion to renewable energy • Training and education : largest single institutional provider of informal adult education in the world • Unions help bridging the gap between industry and civil society • Include environmental targets in collective bargaining

  6. Ensuring concrete change “on the ground” The role of the unions (2) Germany: « Bündnis für Arbeit und Umwelt» (2000) DGB, NGOs, Industry Objectives: - renovation of 300,000 homes each year - creation of 200,000 jobs - reduction of CO2 emissions by 2 million tons/y. - export of renewable energy - reduction of heating costs

  7. Ensuring concrete change “on the ground”The role of the unions (3) Spain: • 1992 : agreement between unions and ENDESA to install wind energycapacity for 750 MW by 2000 • 1999 : joint commitment between trade unions, environmental NGOs and industry to ensure careful placement of wind mills. • Jobs: 2.200 (1990), 57.000 (2000), + 200.000 (2010)

  8. Thank you The ETUC represents 60 million workers in 35 European countries www.etuc.org

More Related