Transcript Green Jobs Towards Decent Work In A Sustainable, Low

Climate Change & Green Jobs
Decent Work In A Sustainable Low-Carbon World
May 17/2007
Roberto Ocon
Occupational and Environmental
Health & Safety Specialist
Social Protection Sector
ILO HQ. Geneva
The Dual Challenge For 21st Century
 Environmental: climate-related disasters,
water shortages, environmental refugees,
displacement by flooding, food shortages,
loss of biodiversity
 Decent work: working poor, unemployed,
young job seekers, no access to social
security, food, shelter, energy
Stern Review, IPCC, McKinsey
 Climate change biggest threat to achievement of
MDGs
 Coping with climate change requires a great
transformation of economies,
 Threats and opportunities for enterprises and
workers
Green jobs initiative
ILO, UNEP, IOE, ITUC
Climate Change And Social and
Labour Challenges
1. Adaptation Issues
2. Mitigation Issues
1. Adaptation Issues
 Droughts, Floods, Heat Waves, Hurricanes
 Impact on:
 agriculture, forestry, tourism, fresh water,
coastal systems (industry and settlements).
 1.2 billion workers in agriculture
 50 m environmental refugees (livelihoods in
Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Haiti …)
2. Mitigation Issues
 Reducing GHG emissions will impact on:
 Global energy supply systems, energy
consumption, transportation, urban planning and
construction, manufacturing, agriculture and
forestry.
 > 2.3 million jobs renewables, >20 m in 2030
 France green jobs > car industry
Renewable energy:
2006: 2.3 m jobs
2030: > 20 m jobs
Climate Change And Labour Markets
Employment affected in at
least four ways:
1. Additional jobs will be created
2. Some employment will be
substituted
3. Certain jobs may be
eliminated without direct
replacement
4. Many existing jobs will be
transformed and redefined
Green Jobs Definition
• Reduce consumption of energy and raw
materials (dematerialize economies)
• Avoid greenhouse gas emissions
(decarbonize economies)
• Protect and restore ecosystems and
environmental services
• Minimize waste and pollution
High-Potential Sectors
• Energy efficiency: buildings,
industry, transport
• Renewable energy
• Mobility: public transport
• Recycling, waste management
• Sustainable agriculture and
forests
• Environmental services
Green Economies
• Greening economies create jobs
• Major opportunity for development and
poverty reduction
• Decent work not by default
• Need for just transitions
An Emerging ILO Programme
Research and development:
 Brazil: bioenergy, environmental services
 China: energy efficiency
 India: renewable energy – poverty
 Bangladesh: waste management
 Philippines: climate proofing local development
 Haiti a.o.: adaptation infrastructure and recovery
 Africa: adaptation and rural employment
 South Africa: energy efficiency buildings
Partnerships
• Green Jobs Initiative partners:
ILO, UNEP, ITUC and IOE
Green Jobs Report (September 2008)
• UNFCCC: climate negotiations
• FAO: rural employment
• UNDP, UNITAR: adaptation
• UNEP: Training course Turin Centre
Areas of Action
Green jobs programme along
three complementary lines:
1. Diagnostic and modeling
tools
2. Green jobs in clean
development
3. Fair transitions to green
economies
ILO Office-wide strategy
Engage ILO units across the organization
• from the INSTITUTE,
• the four SECTORS,
• the FIELD structure
• GENDER and INTEGRATION
• to the Turin Centre.
Thank you!
For further information:
Green Jobs
ILO Contact
Mr. Peter Poschen,
Senior Adviser Sustainable Development and
Climate Change- ILO
E-Mail: [email protected]