There is no climate justice without respect for human and labor rights

Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt. The big ones labor unions, among them, the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) are looking for each of the participation spaces in the COP27 Climate Summit, because although the “Just Transition” is already included in the official documents, there is still a lot to do so that “climate justice go hand in hand with respect for human rights, including the rights of workers”.

This was stated in an interview by Montserrat MIR, special advisor to the ITUC, who on the fourth day of COP27, has seen limited progress in the participation of workers, whose central defense is to align the just transition with the defense of social security.

“There is progress, but there are still many countries that do not understand that the “Just Transition”, in addition to reducing emissions, must also include social protection, social dialogue and leave no worker behind; therefore, it is essential that the workers are at the table, because how can something be discussed if they are not at the table”, he stated.

Although the concept of “Just Transition” has been included in most official documents, it represents progress, there are countries in Latin America that do not strategically see that this change goes hand in hand with respect for the rights of workers. to have or keep a decent job.

In the European Union, he commented, there are countries that have already understood it, but in “Latin America they still have doubts about the Just Transition, an essential element that is social security, they still question it; And why is this happening, because a good part of the planet does not enjoy that social protection, so mechanisms must be established so that workers and communities are not left behind”.

A clear example, he highlights, is the closure of a mine that does not have a plan to reactivate alternative employment in other sectors, whether in renewables or in new technologies, “what are we going to do with these people, if they are going to stay without their livelihood”, questions MIR.

In this sense, he affirms that the actions that the unions have taken in the COP 27 is very important, it is about being able to “claim that within the Just Transition, as the ILO guidelines say, there must be an important space for the world of work, for workers for job creation, for social dialogue. Nothing that affects the workers is negotiated without the workers, and also for social protection.

Financing, employment transition

Sami Dellah, union representative, responsible for the fair environmental transition in Canada, defined as the main problem the need to have funds to achieve the goal of 100,000 million dollars per year, because so far it has not been met and countries like Pakistan, are currently suffering great effects.

Dellah has participated in the meetings on financing in the framework of COP 27 and highlights that until now there is no point of balance in what the countries of the South demand against those of the North, “the countries of the North want a multitude of definitions, while those in the south want a single definition to facilitate the way to use and account for the use of resources”.

And he also stressed that the objective of 100,000 million dollars is unrealistic, “if we compare it with what is needed to carry out adaptation and mitigation”, they are important challenges that still do not have conclusive actions.