Paris draft deal puts workers’ future at risk

Paris draft deal puts workers’ future at risk

Brussels/Lima - 12 December 2014 (ITUC OnLine): The ITUC expressed its deep concern that the current lack of ambition, in particular before 2020, as well as the absence of any reference to the need for a Just Transition and Decent Work for workers when moving towards a low carbon economy put the prospects for labour’s support of the Paris deal in a difficult position.

The labour movement is increasingly mobilizing on climate change.

“We are conscious that all jobs are at risk without more ambition on emission reductions, adaptation, finance and technology” said Thierry Dedieu, from CFDT France.” This is why we have always supported the UN process.”

However, the lack of ambition on those fronts, added to the absence of references to the need for a Just Transition and Decent Work, where workers are supported in the process of transformation of the economy, has raised major concerns among the international trade union delegation in COP20 in Lima.
Governments have already agreed in previous COPs on the importance of this language to ensure climate agreements talk to peoples’ concerns about jobs, livelihoods and prosperity. Despite this, the process is ignoring these demands in the current negotiating draft for Paris.

“Ministers still have a chance to show that they do lead the process, and do not let technicians decide what the future for working people will look like” said Daniel Angelim, from the Trade Union Confederation of the Americas. “They need to react now! “

ENDS

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