Global Union Brands COP17 ‘A Wasted Opportunity’

7 December 2011

Global union federation the ITF (International Transport Workers’ Federation) today reacted with disappointment to the failure of the UN COP17 climate change conference in Durban, South Africa, to deliver any progress on climate change so far.

Speaking from the conference, ITF climate change coordinator Alana Dave reported: “Negotiations are at a complete standstill – despite us being in a situation where emissions are still rising, the forecasts are becoming increasingly grave, and extraordinary weather conditions are destroying jobs, homes and peoples’ lives.”

She continued: “It seems as if narrow economic interests and pressure from multinationals, not least in the fossil fuel industry, are being allowed to override attempts to reach a binding agreement to protect our climate and the future of our planet.”

“Despite the enormous potential for change represented by this conference, and at a time when the International Energy Agency’s chief economist is warning that we only have five years left to make radical changes to avoid dangerous climate change, this event is looking more and more like one more wasted opportunity.”

Commenting from Durban, Asbjorn Wahl, chair of the ITF climate change working group, explained: “There is an urgent need for a new global agreement that is fair, ambitious and binding. We need a much more ambitious agenda, and we need it immediately. We need to plan a transition to a climate-resilient, low-carbon economy. Restructuring our economies and ambitious mitigation action are vital if we want to leave our children a sustainable world and a chance for social and development goals to be achieved”.

The ITF has been an active part of the ‘People’s Space’ movement at the conference, which has brought together social movements, NGOs and trade unions from around the world. The ITF has organised a two day workshop on the ‘reduce-shift-improve’ framework which is designed to reduce emissions from transport across different transport modes and world regions.

The workshop also focused on employment in transport, and heard that: “Our research indicates that there are many interventions that can be made in the transport sector that both cut emissions and create jobs” (Jane Barrett, policy officer, SATAWU - South African Transport and Allied Workers union).

The ITF is also supporting the call for a commitment to find new sources of funding for a ‘green climate fund’ that will assist developing countries to fight poverty and climate change. This includes introducing a levy on ships’ bunker (fuel) and a possible shipping emissions tax, both of which the ITF believes should be ‘flag blind’ – that is, apply equally to all users.

A joint ITUC (International Trade Union Confederation), Institute for Policy Studies, French government, Oxfam, WWF press conference will be held on this subject later today. The press release for this appears below.

MEDIA ADVISORY

Key Countries & Organizations Call For Innovative Sources of Finance:
Ministers of France, South Africa, Norway, Bolivia WWF, Oxfam, ITUC

Officials from a diverse set of countries will join civil society leaders to call for innovative sources of finance, including a tax on financial transactions and a fee on emission from maritime shipping, to be part of a deal in Durban which raises billions of dollars to help fill the Green Climate Fund.

Countries have tabled a draft decision that calls for long-term finance to be raised from innovative sources such as fuel levies to support developing countries as they work to fight poverty and climate change. But they could miss an opportunity to build on the momentum of the G20 summit in Cannes with the implementation of a Financial Transactions Tax, a maritime bunker levy and other such proposals.

The press conference comes as hundreds of organizations including Oxfam, WWF, ITUC, Institute for Policy Studies, Friends of the Earth and other partners joined together for a day of action to support the most promising sources of funding for the Green Climate Fund.

WHEN: Wednesday 7 December, at 4:30 pm

WHERE: Kosi Palm Beach Room, Media Centre of the ICC

WHO: Nathalie Kosciusko Morizet, Minister of France for Ecology, Sustainable Development, Transport and Housing, Government of France
Zwelinzima Vavi, Secretary General, Congress of South African Trade Unions
Trevor Manuel, Ministry of South Africa (tbc)
Arvinn E. Gadgil, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Norway
Juan Carlos Alurralde, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Republic of Bolivia
Moderator: Tasneem Essop, WWF South Africa/WWF International climate lead

The press conference will be webcast by the UNFCCC.

ENDS

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