Workers Seek ‘Just Transition’ to Green Economy in Cancun Climate Talks
 |
|
AFL-CIO Industrial Union Council Director Bob Baugh is a member of a global union delegation led by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) attending the new round of United Nations climate change negotiations in Cancun, Mexico. This is the first of a series of blogs on the talks.
After the acrimonious climate change talks in Copenhagen last December and in Bonn last June, delegates to the 16th meeting of the Committee of the Parties (COP 16) come to the table in Cancun with reduced expectations. The delegates hope these climate talks will result in specific decisions that can serve as stepping stones for the next major meeting on climate change (COP 17) in Johannesburg, South Africa, in 2012.
Mood of Climate Change Talks Change Like The Weather
AFL-CIO Union Industries Director Bob Baugh is a member of a global union delegation, led by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), attending the next round of the United Nations climate change negotiations in Bonn, Germany. This is the fourth of a series of blogs on the talks. Be sure to check out part 1, part 2 and part 3.
As anyone who has ever negotiated a contract knows there is a rhythm and mood to the talks. Copenhagen was tough. The buildup of expectations far exceeded reality and as the days progressed frustration and anger became the prevailing mood. It took 30 heads of state to hammer out the Copenhagen Accord that all but five states agreed to.
Bolivia, Cuba, Nicaragua, Venezuela, and Sudan opposed the accord and continued to agitate against it. The main body responsible for the climate treaty, the Ad Hoc Working Group on Long-term Cooperative Action (AWG-LCA), had an acrimonious set of meetings in early April. This was followed by a Bolivian-sponsored First World Conference of the People on Climate Change and the Rights of Mother Earth in mid April. The newly elected AWG-LCA chair, Margaret Mukahanana-Sangarwe from Zimbabwe and Daniel Reifsnyder from the U.S., the vice-chair, had their work cut out for them in Bonn.
Japan Moves Closer to Clean Energy Standards
AFL-CIO Union Industries Director Bob Baugh is a member of a global union delegation, led by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), attending the next round of the United Nations climate change negotiations in Bonn, Germany. This is the third of a series of blogs on the talks. Be sure to check out part 1 and part 2.
Earlier this week, two leaders of Japan’s Trade Union Confederation (RENGO) briefed the global union delegation on climate change legislation under consideration by lawmakers in Tokyo.
Toyoji Sugiyama, director of RENGO’s social policy division, and Mitsuru Maruta said the legislation is backed by Japan’s new government, which was elected last year with RENGO’s support.
Trust, But Verify on Emissions
AFL-CIO Union Industries Director Bob Baugh is a member of a global union delegation attending the next round of the United Nations climate change negotiations in Bonn, Germany. This is the second of a series of blogs on the talks. Be sure to check out part 1.
Here in Bonn, U.S. climate change negotiators are hard at work negotiating the process to ensure that nations are abiding by the commitments on targets for emissions and taking the actions they agree to in any final deal.
