Signs of Hope for Concrete Action at Climate Change Talks

Jim Hunter, director of the Electrical Workers (IBEW) Utility Department, sends us this report from the first full day at the climate change talks in Copenhagen, Denmark, where 40 U.S. union members are part of a 400-member global union movement delegation led by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC). Read our previous blogs on the climate change talks here and here.

Well here we go again at another United Nations Climate Change Conference (UNCCC) meeting. I feel like I know what is going on after my trip last year to Poznan, Poland. The days are long and the meetings are intense but at least I feel comfortable in what is expected of me. On Sunday, when we registered for the conference, we ended up in a security lockdown for hours. The lesson learned from last year was to use all of your time as productively as you can.

I decided to go and get lunch and I ran into Jonathan Pershing, lead negotiator for the United States (until Todd Stern arrives). We only spoke briefly but the fact that he knew labor was here and involved was important.

Monday started at 9 a.m. at our labor briefing followed by the opening session and meetings throughout the day. At 6:30 p.m. we had a briefing with Labor and Business by Pershing. We were told that the facility is designed for 15,000 people and more than 37,000 people have asked for credentials. It is expected that more than 100 heads of state will arrive next week in anticipation of an agreement.

The fact that so many heads of state are planning on attending, including President Obama, is a sign that a deal may be in the works. Countries may actually make a commitment and not just talk about making one. This is the first time in 20 years developing countries like China and India are publicly discussing goals to reduce emissions and a commitment to reach them. 

Obama has said that the United States will do its part to help finance the annual $10 billion fund to help poor nations reduce their carbon dioxide output, but all developed countries must participate. Pershing said the United States is not interested in, nor will it sign onto, an agreement that risks our intellectual property rights. The fact is we need to strengthen our intellectual property rights, not erode them. Everyone here understands this is the first time in history all large carbon dioxide-emitting countries have announced carbon reductions and a timetable to reach the targets.

The United States has an impressive display and you can sense the feeling of excitement in the air. Eight U.S. cabinet secretaries or presidential assistants are attending this conference. We will hear from the Obama “A” team as it was described to us. The problem is that we have a Congress that has 40 senators who are voting “No” on progressive legislation and climate change legislation will be no different. Many of us hoped we could improve on the bill that was passed in the House—time will tell. My fear is the same as last year: We are talking about targets and not how to archive them.

We understand the utility industry and know that to meet our carbon reductions goals, we will need nuclear power as well as new coal plants that capture carbon dioxide. We also understand renewable energy can only work with large investments in transmission to move the power to the loads—but all we are talking about is targets.

Gene Trisko from the Mine Workers (UMWA) asked Pershing whether there are legal mechanisms in place to ensure everyone is living up to commitments. Pershing said this is a political process, not legal one, and so compliance will be voluntary. The stark contrast with the United States and the rest of the world is that we will have legislation in a bill that is legally binding. The rest of the world will not face any penalties if they fail to reach their goals and we could face ruining our economy. 

We sit here in Copenhagen and look at the new 40-megawatt wind farm offshore and hear how wonderful wind generation is for the planet. The fact is, we also see a large coal plant next to the turbines that is really producing a vast majority of the power for the city. I wonder when we will all face the reality between what people wish could happen and what we can actually achieve.

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