Future Perfect

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eople

social

inclusion

green

jobs

education

jobs, with the latest official figures showing employ-

ment in this sector has increased by a quarter in one

year, the solar energy industry in the United States

employs more workers than the country’s steel indus-

try and green manufacturing in Germany is expected

to produce more jobs than the country’s automotive

industry, over the next 20 years. But we also know

that green employment does not automatically create

decent, good jobs for communities; of the 3.5 million

key environment-related jobs created in Bangladesh,

only 800,000 meet decent work standards.

The potential for job creation associated with the

transition to a sustainable development model is unde-

niable; the Food and Agriculture Organization of the

United Nations estimates that shifting to environmen-

tally-friendly agriculture is projected to create over 200

million full-time jobs by 2050, resulting in more decent,

green jobs across the entire food production system.

An important part of the global green jobs movement

continues to be led by trade union organizations. Over

the years, unions have achieved consensus on the green

jobs proposal and have learned to take into considera-

tion all of its variables, including respect for trade union

rights, capacity to reduce environmental impacts in all

sectors, generation of decent work and reversal of the

current labour market marginalization of women and

youth. This results in a proposal that integrates, like few

others, simultaneous advancement on the economic,

social and environmental fronts. Sustainlabour has

been working to put this into practice and has trained

unionists from 75 countries to help better understand

the challenges by promoting dialogue with other social

actors, seeking collective solutions, or supporting

workers’ occupational training on renewable energies.

But it is not just about creating new green jobs, it is

also about greening existing ones. And it is encouraging

to see how many workers are committed to this task. We

have supported demands from agricultural workers in

the cotton and sugar sectors in West Africa who wished

to make more sound use of pesticides. Ugandan truck

drivers are learning about mitigating climate change and

saving money through more efficient driving, alongside

learning and teaching their colleagues how to transport

hazardous substances and improve waste management.

In Uruguay, waste collectors are coming out of margin-

alization and asking for decent, green jobs while working

hard to involve their fellow citizens in the reduction,

separation and recovery of waste. In Nepal, timber

workers are committed to fighting climate change by

taking care of their forests. These examples are a few

among many.

Sharing the commons to advance socio-environmen-

tal protection

In addition to the fundamental aspect of employment,

Rio+20 should advance on agreements regarding social

inclusion and equity. Unfortunately, the most alarming

indicators from the previous 20 years, together with

those showing rapid destruction of the environment,

ronmental boundaries and in the process, failing to provide decent

livelihoods to people.

Further, economic and environmental crises have occurred

more rapidly in recent years, dominating news programmes and

economists´ analyses, and bringing fear and confusion to millions

of workers worldwide. The global economic crisis has increased

poverty, exclusion and unemployment, with 30 million jobs lost

since it erupted in 2008. Other crises are causing the loss of lives;

it is estimated that 300,000 people lose their lives due to climate

change each year. More than ever, the financial and environmen-

tal crises show how we collectivize risk and privatize benefits. The

institutions responsible for the financial crisis – many having previ-

ously made inconceivable fortunes – were bailed out with taxpayer

money. The costs of infrastructure or crop loss in relation to climate

change effects are paid for with taxpayer money, or with scarce

resources from the communities least responsible for the problem.

Rio+20 should mark the moment that governments become suffi-

ciently realistic and practical to carry out the profound changes

needed to ensure dignified survival for all. Changes should distrib-

ute the social and environmental costs of economic activities,

efficiently regulate markets and natural wealth, and rebalance capital

and labour. The economy has to be redirected democratically, social

and environmental protection systems set into motion to build resil-

ient societies, and to create decent jobs for all, while keeping in

mind resource limitations.

Linking Environment and Labour

UNCED enabled us to understand that it is not possible to defend

the planet without taking into account poverty eradication and that

lasting social or economic development will not be possible if it is

does not respect the environment.

From 2003, at Sustainlabour we have been working hard to

overcome the false labour-environment dichotomy. How can we

strengthen the labour dimension of change toward a more sustain-

able economy? How can we create an economic and development

model that creates quality jobs and protects the environment? And

how can we ensure that trade union organizations – fundamental

actors in securing greater equity, equality, justice and democracy

– could also play a role in defending the environment?

It is of extreme importance for us that decent work and social

inclusion form a fundamental part of governments’ agreements in

Rio+20. Unemployment affects some 200 million people, but about

1.4 billion people are unemployed or live in poverty.

At the same time, creating employment should not be used

as an alibi for destroying our natural heritage, stripping future

generations of basic resources, clashing workers from pollut-

ing industries against polluted communities, and continuing to

benefit only very few.

Making a decent living while respecting

the environment

Our organization is the result of discussions between trade union

participants at the United Nations World Summit on Sustainable

Development 2002 in Johannesburg, to assist with this ethos. Since

then, much has changed. Some so-called green sectors have grown

sufficiently to demonstrate their potential for employment creation,

including the renewable energy sector, organic agriculture, waste

management and water treatment. For example, the European

renewable energy industry now accounts for more than 1 million