PSI Asia Pacific - Utilities - Electricity - Water & Local Government Network Bulletin Blog -
The below items are published as an internal PSI Bulletin monthly or you can follow by each post by e-mail.
Friday 11 December 2015
Trade Unions for Energy Democracy - bulletin 40 - December 11th - from COP 21
The
Paris climate summit (Cop 21) is nearly over, and the deal that's presently on the table falls short in
terms of commitments on emissions, financing, human rights, and just
transition. The core concerns of unions and social movements
remain in the preamble to the Paris Agreement and not the operative
articles of the text.
On December 7th, these shortcomings were acknowledged by a capacity
crowd of 700 people from the trade unions and their allies at a meeting
organized by Trade Unions for Energy Democracy, the Rosa Luxemburg
Stiftung–New York Office, Global Climate Jobs and the Global Labour Institute
Network.
The audience heard inspiring messages from writer and activist Naomi
Klein and UK Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn, as well as trade unions
involved in TUED in different regions.
The power of these messages is captured in this 17-minute video,
produced by ReelNewsfor TUED. The speakers addressed energy democracy,
climate jobs, and the need for a transition that is both just and
transformative.
A segment of Naomi Klein's full presentation can also be viewed here. She urged unions and their allies not to accept a
"highly dangerous" deal, and to take to the streets in Paris
on December 12.
A video of Jeremy Corbyn's presentation is here.
His remarks on how the failure to address climate has contributed to
recent flooding throughout Northern England, Scotland and Wales have been broadly distributed by the media. He urged
unions and the climate movement to "unleash the hope" for a
truly sustanable future.
Next TUED Bulletin: COP 21 round up -- and where now for unions?