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Clean Energy JobsCopenhagen and Climate ChangeSharan Burrow, President of ACTU, is in Copenhagen to take part in the negotiations surrounding climate change. More than 300 union representatives are here to lobby their governments and work with the NGO community to promote an ambitious agreement, a deal on climate finance for development that sees wealthy nations commit to a fair share and a process to achieve a binding treaty. Sharan is writing about her experience in Copenhagen. 18 December | 17 December | 16 December | 15 December Go to details about the Clean Energy Jobs campaign? From Copenhagen - 18/12/09Bells of hope ring out for climate dealVictorians joined community leaders to show their solidarity in reaching a fair and just climate change agreement in the final hours of Copenhagen negotiations at a vigil at Federation Square today. Together, they rang hundreds of bells, along with those of St Paul’s Cathedral and sent messages to Prime Minister Kevin Rudd via Twitter. World Vision’s CEO Tim Costello, in Copenhagen, said that instead of standing by in silence, we’ve asked people to come to Federation Square to ring bells of hope for a climate change deal. “The poor are the most vulnerable to the effects of climate change and are already feeling its impacts. Australia and other rich nations are also not immune and need to acknowledge we’re all part of the same global village.” Don Henry, executive director of the Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) said the final hours of Copenhagen negotiations were our chance to show our leaders that we want, and expect, a strong global climate agreement. “The time for talking is over. People around the world overwhelming want action on climate change. It’s essential this largest gathering of leaders in history delivers ambitious and fair climate action for the people of the world.” Speakers at the event included Anglican Archbishop of Melbourne, Philip Freier and Tuvalu citizen and climate change activist, Leah Avenue, who appealed to the world leaders, our own Prime Minister among them, to ensure they make it to the finish line in time and achieve a strong and effective outcome for our planet. Sharan Burrow, President of the ACTU, said "Right here, right now in Copenhagen we have the world's best chance to make a decisive move to fight climate change together and restructure our economies in a way that will benefit all nations, rich and poor. It will not be easy, but it must be done and it cannot wait. We urge our leaders to seize the day - Australians are waiting and watching, along with the rest of the world." John Connor, CEO of The Climate Institute, said “The talks are in danger because of serious differences about whether the Kyoto Protocol should continue or not. This deadlock can be broken by supporting a new commitment period for the Kyoto Protocol alongside a comprehensive global treaty.” Co-Directors of the AYCC, Anna Rose and Amanda McKenzie, said "Young people will inherit the consequences of decisions being made - or not made - in Copenhagen. We are calling for moral leadership to protect our generation and those to come."
From Copenhagen - 17/12/09Painfully cold weather or the uplifting experience of watching snow fall? Take your pick of description for a minus 4 degrees day and you could associate either choice with observing these negotiations. Without doubt the progress is painfully slow - but there is progress. Yesterday’s positioning by Africa on finance has become a possible deal as many nations including the US have now committed to both fast track or immediate funding from 2010 to 2013 and a $US100 billion by 2020. Likewise the capital raising by five nations – the UK, the US, Australia, Japan and Norway to the tune of $3.5 billion for forest protection gave Indonesia the confidence to call for transparency and verification of climate action pledged by individual countries. Our own Prime Minister set the scene this morning with the call for a grand bargain and laid out a commitment to a two - track solution towards a binding legal agreement. This would ensure an extension of the Kyoto Protocol and the completion of a global agreement in 2010. While there is some way to go to finalise agreement on financing, transparency and the shape of a legally binding outcome there is real movement. Friday, the last day must now be the day of increased ambitions. Nations must lift their commitments and for wealthy nations this means the targets for carbon emission reductions. Here the European Union and the President of Brazil, Lula De Silva have set the scene. EU leaders are determined to maintain their commitment to a target of 30% reduction in carbon emissions by 2020 and have challenged other developed nations including Australia and the US to stretch their commitments. The president of Brazil went beyond the expected commitment of 30% reduction on business as usual scenario to 36% and inclusive of industry as well as forestry. These commitments are respectively a call for high ambition and provide a backdrop for the major debate of target commitments set for tomorrow (Friday). Painful, slow – mix with tension and delay and the ingredients for despair are here but so too is the potential for an historic agreement and the hope of renewal. For those who can turn out today, Friday Melbourne time at 1pm to Federation Square the message of hope and expectation that you send to Kevin Rudd and the other leaders of the world will be heard and those of us representing civil society thank you. Hope, political will and the fact that time is running out may just prove the mix that will ensure history is made and the climate reset for survival. Sharan Burrow From Copenhagen - 16/12/09While it's snowing outside, the temperature is definitely warming up inside the Bella Centre as the leaders begin to arrive in Copenhagen. Overnight there were some developments that set the scene for more serious engagement. China declared it would not seek access to global climate funds being negotiated for adaptation and mitigation in developing countries. Following this announcement, Ethiopia put out a joint statement with France framing a possible deal to settle the climate financing issue. Repeated on behalf of Africa in the Plenary, Ethiopia put the makings of a deal on the table – fast track financing of $10 billion dollars by 2012, $50 billion a year by 2015 and $100 billion a year by 2020. If this is taken seriously by the wealthy nations of the world it could pave the way for a breakthrough. The funding base would be multi-layered with the potential for a levy on global shipping and aviation raising a global fund added to by other dollars from both the public and private sectors. While this doesn’t satisfy more ambitious aspirations by some countries it opens the way to a compromise that is certainly affordable. If there's a compromise then a basic confidence will emerge in developing nations that the commitment of developed countries is more than words. Of course the other big issues remain – targets, transparency of reporting, verification of commitments and the legal framework. None of this is settled and there are still arguments about the authority of the chair to propose compromise text - arguments that would make ‘Yes Minister’ seem rational! Nevertheless there is still a sense of imperative and the weather is an incentive to stay with the game inside. Our Prime Minister, exercising his diplomatic skills, is hard at work. His briefing of stakeholders has been realistic about the challenges but optimistic about the path through the deadlock if the political will can be generated. Meanwhile, any positive positioning from business is so far absent. We hear the voices of the mining and energy companies raising objections, expressing concerns about everything from the legal framework to spurious issues of loss of competitiveness from a global deal on an aviation and shipping levy. There are no voices from the business community raised in support of an ambitious outcome. Sad but true. And from here in Europe, it looks like Tony Abbott and the Liberal Party would rather the negotiations fail or at best be limited to an ineffective set of commitments. There appears to be little concern, despite soaring temperatures at home, for the environment our children and grandchildren will inherit and a total lack of commitment to ensure Australian business will be competitive in a changing world. Thankfully, Tony Abbott is not in charge of Australia’s negotiating team. Sharan Burrow
Go to details about the Clean Energy Jobs campaign? Letter from Copenhagen: Sharan BurrowCold, chaotic but critical is how I would describe Tuesday at the climate talks in Copenhagen. As the leaders' summit opens, positioning characterised by anxiety, caution and pockets of distrust pose serious challenges for the them to overcome. Yet it was always going to be the case that any agreement would depend on the political leaders to reach a deal. It is worth listening to Al Gore’s presentation which contains several key messages. He reminds us of our responsibility to future generations and the consensus by the overwhelming majority of scientists that the threat to our planet is increasing rapidly. Political will, which Gore describes as a renewable resource, needs to be strengthened by the leaders coupled with mutual understanding across the developing, emerging and developed economies if we are to see a satisfactory agreement that will deliver a binding treaty within months. And the message to the NGO community that while we need to drive ambition that meets the imperatives of the science we must also make a start – walk before we can run! Under the banner of the Southern Cross Climate Coalition, John Connor of The Climate Institute, Don Henry of the Australian Conservation Foundation and I held a press conference this afternoon to recognise the role that Kevin Rudd has played in the lead up to these discussions and can play in breaking the deadlock here today. We identified three areas central to both a breakthrough and a satisfactory agreement:
All nations need to do more to secure these negotiations. Tuesday was a low point in these negotiations but today, Wednesday, we hope will be more optimistic. More than 300 union representatives are here to lobby their governments and work with the NGO community to promote an ambitious agreement, a deal on climate finance for development that sees wealthy nations commit to a fair share and a process to achieve a binding treaty. In particular we want an agreement to include a recognition of the critical commitment to a just transition where working people involved in necessary restructuring are assured of decent work. Sharan Burrow More news from Copenhagen? Get details about the Clean Energy Jobs campaign here
The Clean Energy Jobs CampaignACT NOW: TELL KEVIN RUDD YOU WANT ACTION There is a common solution to the economic crisis and the climate crisis – a clean energy boom that will create jobs today. A recent CSIRO study indicates that 2.7 million jobs could be created in Australia over the next 15 years if we move to a cleaner, low carbon economy. Up to one million of these could be clean energy jobs using traditional skills in new industries like solar, wind, water and recycling.1 These are big numbers and big opportunities, but if we don’t take strong action on climate change and invest in clean energy jobs now, the economic opportunities will pass us by. Germany created 76,000 new jobs in renewable energy (to reach a total of 236,000) in just two years between 2004 and 2006, underpinned by their strong renewable energy laws and complementary Green Skills programs.2 And although it’s known for car giants like BMW, Mercedes and Volkswagen, by 2020 Germany is projected to have more jobs in the field of environmental technologies than in its entire car industry.3 We’re not talking niche jobs. Clean energy jobs include large scale, heavy industry jobs that exist now. It’s estimated that the renewable energy sector worldwide already employs 2.3 million people – more than the total number employed directly by the oil and gas industry.4 The global ‘low carbon and environmental goods’ sector is now valued at A$6.1 trillion.5 We can generate more jobs if we take strong action on climate change. But we have to be the leader now – with new technologies, jobs and industries - to win the race. If you want Australia to invest in a clean energy boom that creates jobs today,take action here. Clean energy jobs creation depends on Australia moving forward over the coming weeks and months with strong climate policy both at home and on the international stage in Copenhagen this December. 1 CSIRO, 2008; Green Gold Rush Report, 2008 2 http://www.bmu.de/ 3 http://www.fco.gov.uk/ 4 Ban Ki-moon, “Green growth is essential to any stimulus”, Financial Times, 17 February 2009. 5 Innovas, commissioned by the UK Department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Regorm (2009), Low Carbon and Environmental Goods and Services: an industry analysis, at page 5, see http://www.berr.gov.uk/ Adopt-a-Dinosaur and help them evolve
“Dinosaurs” in big business are spending millions on an advertising campaign to distort the real impacts of climate change action on jobs and “Dinosaurs” in politics are joining in the scaremongering. Don’t let the dinosaurs rule. If you care about action on climate change and the creation of hundreds of thousands of Australian clean energy jobs - “adopt a dinosaur” and chip into the national Clean Energy Jobs campaign. “Adopt a dinosaur” today and help them evolve by:
YES - I want to adopt a dinosaur and receive a free limited edition dinosaur desk top wallpaper. Watch our TV advertisement. Check out a sample of the wallpaper. What are Clean Energy Jobs?Clean energy jobs are jobs that contribute to better environmental outcomes or increased sustainability, and the good news is they’re set to boom in the 21st century as we move towards a global low carbon economy. Clean energy jobs range from low-skill, entry-level positions to high-skill, higher-paid jobs, and include opportunities for advancement in both skills and wages. From engineers to construction workers, carpenters to plumbers, transport workers to surveyors thousands of jobs will be created via a clean energy boom.
Below are some of the key sectors and clean energy jobs available now and in the future.
Producing energy from renewable resources - via solar, wind, geothermal, tidal and hydro power - will open up thousands of job opportunities for Australians. Many of these jobs will be in rural and regional Australia, and will include jobs for builders, electricians, linespeople, fitters/mechanics, systems controllers, plant technicians, metalworkers, crane operators, engineers, power station operators, project managers, production/performance managers, system designers, system managers. A strong renewable industry could employ 375,000 people by 2030. Case Studies
Building, construction and retrofitting Up to 230,000 people could be employed in building construction and retrofitting – both residential and commercial - by 2030. These will be a mix of both low skilled and highly specialised jobs, with a focus on the trades workforce. Jobs will include building designers, carpenters, demolishers, green electricians, painters and decorators, green plumbers, refrigeration and heating/cooling technicians, sustainability auditors and assessors, installers, certifiers, project managers, quantity surveyors, site supervisors, architects, engineers, interior designers, facilities managers, and property managers. Case Study
Improving the way we produce and use energy could create thousands of new jobs for Australians. By 2030, 75,000 people could be employed in the energy efficiency sector1 with new jobs stemming from retrofitting residential and commercial buildings and appliances, and from improving industrial production systems. These jobs will be both low skilled and highly specialised and could include energy assessors, green electricians, installers and technicians, manufacturing workers (eg. solar hot water), engineers, architects, facility managers and project managers. New jobs in this industry will be created by the installation and manufacture of water systems with efficiency improvements and alternative treatment technologies. By 2030, this industry could employ 66,000 Australians. There will be jobs for plumbers, hydrographers, irrigation operators, remote sensing technicians, save water assistants, trade waste controllers, water auditors, environmental managers, irrigation managers, project managers, site supervisors (dam, hydro-electric). New jobs can be created by increasing and improving recycling and waste management efforts. By 2030, this industry could employ 45,000 Australians. This could include jobs for drivers, line workers (processing and recycled products), engineers, product designers, and production, line and facility managers. With the right investment, jobs creating new materials from renewable sources (such as container plastics made from corn starch) could reach 36,000 by 2030. These include farm workers (collection of inputs), drivers, line workers (transport, initial processing, manufacture) biochemical engineers, land managers, and production, line and facility managers. Take strong action on climate change.Twenty years ago Australia was a leader in solar technologies. But we failed to support the industry and our best and brightest went overseas. We don’t want to miss out again. Strong action on climate change will create huge jobs opportunities for Australians. We can lead in renewable energy, green building development and in smarter use of energy and resources. It will also enable Australia to be a global leader and play an active role in the fight against climate change. By sending an email to your Senator you’re making your voice heard, and letting our Government know you want Australia to be part of the clean energy boom that creates new jobs today. Tell them to get on with it. The Clean Energy Jobs campaign partnersTogether, we’re working to promote solutions to the climate crisis through investment in clean energy jobs, technologies and industries. We aim to position Australia to thrive in the 21st century low carbon economy. The Clean Energy Jobs campaign is an initiative of the Southern Cross Climate Coalition (SCCC), the World Wildlife Fund and Getup. The SCCC is made up of the Australian Council of Trade Unions, The Climate Institute, the Australian Council of Social Service, and the Australian Conservation Foundation. |
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