99-day Copenhagen countdown: Workers push for climate action
Date: 31-Aug-2009
Three thousand workplace activists will push for strong action on climate change in the 99 days between now and crucial UN climate negotiations in Copenhagen as part of a program to be launched by the Australian Council of Trade Unions and the Australian Conservation Foundation in Sydney today.
Union Climate Connectors will encourage climate friendly behaviour in their workplaces and homes by setting weekly tasks and targets.
Activists will also ask politicians for strong policies to create up to one million new clean energy jobs and urging Australian leadership at the Copenhagen talks in December.
“Union members want to be part of the solution to climate change. We can make a big difference in our workplaces – from universities through to hospitality and manufacturing – and we will also be at the forefront in urging our political leaders to adopt a strong and decisive set of policies to cut Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions and create clean energy jobs,” said ACTU President Sharan Burrow.
“If we do not take a lead on climate change action we will miss out on a global market in low carbon technology that is already worth $6 trillion.”
ACF executive director Don Henry said the 99-day countdown to Copenhagen was a crucial time for Australian action on climate change.
“These union climate connectors can play an important role in convincing our politicians to strengthen and pass the emissions trading legislation before Copenhagen to show Australia is prepared to walk the talk on climate change,” he said.
The ACTU-ACF report Green Gold Rush showed Australia could generate up to a million green collar jobs before 2030 by setting the right policies for green industries like renewable energy, energy efficiency, sustainable water industries, biomaterials, green buildings and waste recycling.
Union Climate Connectors is part of the broader Connector program run by The Climate Project – Australia, with a vision to mobilise a groundswell of people in the Asia Pacific to strengthen our collective response to climate change.
